Congress Calling for New Cyber Regs Following Colonial Pipeline Hack

Several Congressional committee leaders have called for action in response to the ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Ron Portman (R-OH) have sponsored legislation that would require businesses and government agencies to report when they are victims of an attack. In the House, Representatives John Katko (R-NY) and Yvette Clarke (D-NY) have begun posting questions to regulatory agencies that oversee cybersecurity in the gas and oil industry.

Also in the House, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is sponsoring the reintroduction of the Pipeline Security Act, which would codify agency responsibilities for securing the country’s natural gas and oil pipelines. The bill would require the Transportation Security Agency to develop strategy for staffing its security workforce and establish a deadline for the agency to update its guidelines.

The Biden administration announced that it will next focus on the oil and gas industry, following its 100-day plan to improve cybersecurity for the electrical grid. Richard Glick, chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees natural gas and gas pipeline transmissions in the U.S., called for mandatory and uniform cybersecurity standards for the gas and oil industry.

Source:

• Gov Info Security: Colonial Pipeline Attack Leads to Calls for Cyber Regs
• Federal Computer Week: House Lawmakers Re-introduce Pipeline Security Bill After Colonial Hack