Second District Congresswoman Elaine Luria’s Pipeline Security Act passed unanimously out of the House Committee on Homeland Security on Wednesday.
The bipartisan legislation would support the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to secure pipelines and pipeline facilities from cyberattacks, terrorist attacks, and other nefarious efforts.
“Cybersecurity is a dangerous and emerging threat, and the recent attack on the Colonial Pipeline proves we need to do more to protect our vital infrastructure,” Luria said. “There’s no reason that protecting our infrastructure can’t be a bipartisan effort, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this legislation forward.”
The Pipeline Security Act would:
-Explicitly codify TSA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) roles in securing pipelines.
-Codify TSA’s Pipeline Security Section and require TSA to develop a personnel strategy for staffing it.
-Require TSA to update pipeline security guidelines within a year of enactment.
-Improve mechanisms for stakeholder engagement and congressional oversight of TSA’s efforts.
Luria introduced the legislation along with Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), House Committee on Homeland Security (HCHS) Bennie Thompson (MS-2), Ranking Member John Katko (NY-24), and 11 of her HCHS colleagues.
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