Washington, D.C. - Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released the following joint statement today after the Department of Energy (DOE) briefed the Committee on the cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline:
“Today DOE Deputy Secretary David Turk briefed Energy and Commerce Committee members on the Colonial Pipeline cybersecurity attack and the impact its closure is having across the country. DOE is the right agency to be coordinating this government-wide effort. We learned that while there is good reason to be hopeful that the shortages will be temporary and pipeline deliveries may soon ramp up, there is more we need to do to ensure DOE has the tools it needs to prevent these incidents in the future - and minimize their impact if they do. We will continue to work closely with DOE in their efforts to help bring the pipeline back online quickly and safely.
“Members of our Committee have worked together in a bipartisan fashion for years to strengthen the security of our energy infrastructure. We’re committed to continuing that tradition now as we work to get meaningful improvements enacted into law. That’s why we are original cosponsors of the Pipeline and LNG Facility Cybersecurity Preparedness Act led by Representatives Bobby Rush and Fred Upton. It would directly help DOE respond to physical and cyber threats to our pipeline and LNG facilities, like in the case of Colonial. This attack and ongoing outage simply underscore the vulnerabilities we have highlighted, and how crucial it is that Congress act to enhance DOE’s cybersecurity authorities so that an incident like this does not happen again."
Earlier today, Committee leaders also announced reintroduction of several bipartisan energy security and cybersecurity bills, urging quick action.
