Madam speaker, I rise today in support of the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2009 and I would like to thank Chairman Lipinski for his efforts to bring this important bill to the floor. In today’s interconnected world, the American people expect their government’s networks to have the same level of access and efficiency as the private sector.  Further, building a more transparent and effective government requires leveraging new technologies to strengthen coordination between our Federal agencies, in addition to strengthening our communications with the citizens of our nation. To achieve these goals, it is critical that our Federal networks and information systems are safe and secure.

Despite increased attention in recent years by the Congress and the Administration on cybersecurity, our Federal networks remain vulnerable to attack. Securing them will require increased emphasis on coordination and technological advancement. It will also require the U.S. to strengthen domestic cybersecurity talent and find new ways to leverage the expertise that exists in the private sector. This bill takes significant steps towards achieving those goals by strengthening federal cybersecurity standards, increasing research and development, and evaluating how to improve our federal cybersecurity workforce.  We as a nation cannot afford to fail in these efforts.  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.  Thank you.