Senator Hassan Joins Bipartisan Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, Participates in Classified Caucus Briefing on Ransomware

WASHINGTON – As a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) has been a leader on advancing cybersecurity. She recently joined the bipartisan Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, led by Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Cory Gardner (R-CO), which held a classified briefing today with the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Chris Krebs on ransomware threats.

“From ransomware attacks on local hospitals to a hack of federal government records, cyberattacks pose a serious threat to our communities and national security,” said Senator Hassan. “I joined the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus to keep working across the aisle to shore up cybersecurity and ensure that both the public and private sector have the resources, information, and training that they need to protect against cyber threats. As I continue to focus in the Senate Homeland Security Committee on enhancing collaboration between state and local governments and the federal government, today’s classified briefing was a helpful conversation to aid us in grappling with the complexities of the threats we face and what we can do to address them.”

“As a co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Cybersecurity Caucus and Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee overseeing International Cybersecurity Policy, I am excited to welcome Senator Hassan to the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus,” said Senator Gardner. “The goal of the Cybersecurity Caucus is to jumpstart discussions about how to best address the cybersecurity challenges our country faces and strengthen our national security. I look forward to Senator Hassan joining these critical discussions and working together to ensure American citizens, businesses, and government are safe and secure in the digital world.”

“As the co-founder of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, it’s an honor to be able to welcome Sen. Hassan as the newest member of the caucus,” said Senator Warner. “As individuals continue to become more dependent on technology and software, we need to make sure that we adequately understand the foreign and domestic cyber threats facing our nation, and that we’re ready to confront these evolving threats with innovative, commonsense solutions. I am looking forward to working with Sen. Hassan and getting her insight, especially given her vital work on these incredibly important issues as a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.”

As a member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Senator Hassan has prioritized efforts to strengthen local, state, and federal cybersecurity. Senator Hassan’s bipartisan Hack Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Act and Public-Private Cybersecurity Cooperation Act with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) were included in a package of bills that were signed into law last year. In addition, the Senate passed the bipartisan Hassan-Portman Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cyber Hunt and Incident Response Teams Act to help prevent cyberattacks at all levels of government and the private sector. Senator Hassan also joined in introducing the bipartisan Advancing Cybersecurity Continuing Diagnostics and Mitigation Act earlier this year, which would update and improve federal agencies’ cybersecurity, and make additional cyber defense resources available to state and local governments.

Senator Hassan also joined Senators Warner and Gardner in reintroducing the bipartisan Internet of Things (IoT) Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2019, which would require that devices purchased by the U.S. government meet certain minimum security requirements.

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