Category: US Senate

Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), along with Representatives Robin Kelly (D-Ill.-02) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.-01), today introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to increase the diversity of participants in all National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded trials. The NIH Clinical Trial Diversity Act builds upon the NIH’s current policies to enhance the inclusion of women, racially and ethnically diverse individuals and people of all ages in all NIH-funded trials.

“In order to ensure new drugs, treatments, and cures are effective across all populations, it is critical that NIH-supported studies more equitably include people of all ethnic and racial backgrounds,” said Sen. Menendez, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee that sets national health policy. “The United States is incredibly diverse, and this legislation would ensure that all people can benefit from new lifesaving drugs, treatments, and vaccines that result from NIH-supported trials. The health and future of communities of color, and the entire nation as a whole, would be drastically improved by making clinical trials more representative and inclusive.”

“Biomedical research holds tremendous promise for treating many of the most costly and devastating diseases we face,” said Sen. Collins.  “To ensure that the benefits of cutting-edge medical science reach all Americans, it is important that participants in clinical trials reflect our overall population.  By encouraging long-term planning and improving demographic representation in clinical studies, this bipartisan legislation will help enhance the effectiveness of critical research that is conducted and sponsored by the NIH.”

“Clinical trials play a crucial role in advancing medical knowledge, improving patient care, and promoting better health outcomes for all of us. But the data are clear, marginalized communities are often excluded from the process and are not represented in developing treatments for illnesses that they are dying from disproportionately. We can’t address health disparities if we don’t know have all the facts,” said Rep. Kelly. “I am reintroducing the NIH Clinical Trial Diversity Act to ensure that all NIH-funded trials deliver effective and inclusive medical solutions to those who need them most. I am proud that this bipartisan and bicameral legislation, with Rep. Fitzpatrick, Senator Menendez, and Senator Collins, meets this moment and provides the solutions we need to move our pursuit of health equity forward.”

“Studies and clinical trials funded by the NIH must include representation from all communities,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “The NIH Clinical Trial Diversity Act will ensure that the agency reaches underrepresented groups of people and boost our ability to make accurate medical conclusions in these studies.”

The NIH Clinical Trial Diversity Act will:

• Require NIH to work with clinical trial sponsors to develop clear and measurable recruitment and retention goals based on disease/condition prevalence as well as a rationale for specified goals and a recruitment plan;
• Ensure the availability of less burdensome follow-ups during clinical trials (e.g. fewer follow ups, phone participation, weekend hours) to increase participation of underrepresented populations;
• Launch a public awareness campaign across federal agencies related to research participation opportunities.

The NIH Clinical Trial Diversity Act is endorsed by the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

“Research shows that staggering and unacceptable racial health disparities in breast cancer persist today. One step to addressing health inequities is requiring that clinical trials include diverse participants who are reflective of the populations most impacted by specific diseases and conditions,” said Molly Guthrie, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Susan G. Komen. “The NIH Clinical Trial Diversity Act takes a necessary step in the right direction towards tackling these disparities and we applaud Congresswoman Kelly, Congressman Fitzpatrick, Senator Menendez and Senator Collins for their leadership in ensuring the treatments of tomorrow are safe and effective for all populations.”

“Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree: Improving diversity in clinical trials is good science – and common sense. We’re grateful for the leadership of Senators Menendez and Collins and Representatives Kelly and Fitzpatrick on this crucial bill, which will help so many patients,” said Gwen Nichols, MD – Chief Medical Officer of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Sen. Menendez has long advocated for greater diversity in clinical trials. In August 2021, Sen. Menendez, along with Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), introduced the Diversifying Investigations Via Equitable Research Studies for Everyone (DIVERSE) Act, which would allow the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue grants or enter into contractual arrangements to support education, outreach and recruitment efforts for clinical trials that can produce new treatments and cures for diseases with disproportionate impact on underrepresented populations.

For a copy of the bill text click HERE.

###

Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

05.18.23

Cantwell-Introduced Bipartisan ‘Recreation for All Act’ Passes Committee Unanimously

Bill aims to increase youth visits to federal lands, collect better visitor data, and improve recreational experiences; State of Washington’s outdoor economy generates $12B and supports 114,000 jobs each year

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the bipartisan Recreation for All Act was unanimously passed by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources as part of America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA). The Recreation for All Act was introduced by U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in April. The comprehensive outdoor recreation package, AORA, will move on to the full Senate for consideration.

“[The bill] tries to increase our information about outdoor recreation opportunities to make it easier and to try to get more young people, kids, on the trails to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors,” said Sen. Cantwell at yesterday’s committee markup. “We know that the outdoor economy is a $12 billion recreational opportunity. And in 2021, 8.2 million visitors spent an estimated $530 million visiting our national parks in the State of Washington, and it supports 114,000 jobs.”

The Recreation for All Act would:

1. Require the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop a national strategy to increase youth recreation visits to federal lands, with a focus on underserved youth.
2. Require relevant land management agencies to pilot the use of new technologies to collect comprehensive visitor data.
3. Require relevant land management agencies to immediately inform the public about closures or other access issues for roads, trails, or other public areas on their websites.
4. Require the U.S. Office of Management and Budget to issue an annual report on the total amount of federal funding spent on outdoor recreation to avoid duplicating funds and help Congress allocate funds appropriately.

The legislation directs the four primary land management agencies – the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish & Wildlife Service, and National Park Service – to increase outdoor recreational opportunities for youth, including underserved youth, pilot new technologies to better track the number and type of recreational visitors to federal land, and require land management agencies to improve their online communication to visitors about road and trail closures.

“Everyone benefits when we make outdoor recreation easier to take part in,” said Sen. Cantwell when the bill was introduced. “One of the goals of this bill is to get more kids hiking on our trails and discovering the joys of outdoor recreation, which will help ensure that our public lands are cared for and flourish into the future.” 

America’s outdoor recreation economy generates over $450 billion in annual gross domestic product and supports 4.5 million American jobs. In Washington state alone, the outdoor recreation economy contributes over $12 billion in value added annually and supports over 114,000 direct jobs. In fiscal year 2019, DOI lands hosted an estimated 501 million visitors.

Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks are available HERE, audio HERE, and transcript HERE.

The full bill text is available HERE. 

###

Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

Thursday | May 18, 2023

WASHINGTON – At today’s hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Ranking Member Tim Scott (R-S.C.) held financial regulators accountable for supervisory failures that contributed to the failures of Silicon Valley and Signature Banks. In his opening statement, the Ranking Member rebuked regulators for sidestepping responsibility and using the failures to justify radical, progressive economic policies.

                                                                                                            Watch Senator Scott’s full statement here. 

Ranking Member Scott’s opening remarks as delivered:

Today’s hearing is about regulatory supervision and congressional oversight. Something we all take very seriously. I hear a lot from our friends on the Left that this is somehow a legislative failure, that you didn’t have the power needed to supervise the banks. There’s nothing further from the truth than that concept, that you did not have the legislative power necessary to do your jobs. That’s just false. We can point to S.2155 all day long, but if you read S.2155, you come to the conclusion that the supervisors had the ability to enforce a regulatory regime to keep America’s financial institutions safe. They just—you did not—use the tools in the toolbox to do the job that was necessary.

People at home take this opportunity to view the six alphabet-soup agencies and try to figure out what we’re here talking about. We’re talking about the safety and the security of the greatest financial system in all the world. For the average viewer at home, they’re asking real questions about is the system safe for me? For those who are “unbanked” or “underbanked,” who have challenges having confidence in the banking system, this is a challenging day. For those who want to have more confidence in the system that they’ve never had confidence in before, this is a serious day. For those who look at this situation and ask themselves why do they have to pay higher interest rates or higher fees on products from banks, because bank execs didn’t do their jobs and regulators weren’t paying attention, so far, we have no answers.

Each of you are working on broad proposals and regulations that will affect our financial institutions, and I’ll expect we’ll hear a lot about that today. But what I’m concerned about is that we won’t really get to the fundamental question about why, when you had an opportunity to do the job assigned to you, it just wasn’t done.

When we look at the failures of both Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, we come to a couple of conclusions. And I’ve said this a few times before, but I think it bears repeating that the situation that we saw that led to two of the largest bank failures in American history was caused by three things: bank mismanagement, supervisory failure, and soaring inflation caused by the Biden administration.

Today, we’re here to focus on the supervisory failures. From the beginning, regulators called these failures idiosyncratic events. This implies that they just popped up out of nowhere like mushrooms after a rainstorm, that there is no way in the world you could have forecasted what was going to happen. But after listening to the CEOs on Tuesday, the one thing we walked away with from [Silicon Valley Bank’s] CEO, Mr. Becker, is that for 20 years they had the same business model that had over 80% of their deposits uninsured. Two decades the deposits were uninsured over 80%. That is not idiosyncratic to me. It seems pretty much like the norm.

We also heard from Mr. Becker that the flashing lights, the warning lights had been going off since the first quarter of 2022. That’s a long time before March 9th of 2023. And then your reports reinforce the fact that the warning lights were going off well before the first quarter of 2022.

You all have failed. Many of you have failed the American people. Failed the American people in keeping their confidence high in our financial system. I want that to sink in.

You get to come to Congress. It’s been 5 minutes answering questions from each one of us with the ability to play dodgeball for those 5 minutes. And then you go back to your respective agencies and you hold no one accountable, even though your reports say that there was failure within your agencies. And yet not a single employee or yourselves are held responsible.

Mr. Barr, it seems like, as we talked about last time you were here, about the reports that were going to come out on May 1st and what it would find. The one thing that’s clear, it’s found that the Federal Reserve didn’t do their job. And yet here we sit again. Your report says you acknowledge that the supervisors at the Federal Reserve failed to act swiftly and do their jobs.

But in the next breath, you point the blame at Congress and S.2155. And I read through the legislation just to make sure that I did not misunderstand what part of the legislation withdrew your ability to provide the supervisory responsibilities. I couldn’t find it because it’s not there. I find it ironic that the ultimate takeaway was [to] ask for more authority. Not less. More authority. As if somehow it was stripped away, and it simply was not.

But that to me, is exactly what happens in Washington when something bad happens. No one takes responsibility, and we take more authority in the regulatory framework of this country. And what happens when we take more authority in the regulatory framework of the country?

Mike, you know, and I certainly know it as a small business owner, the more capital that you push to the sidelines in hopes of solving a problem that had to do with liquidity and not capital, you actually rob small business owners, women small business owners, minority small business owners, everyday small business owners, rural small business owners, [of] the capital necessary to borrow the money to create a more sustainable, more resilient, healthier community.

When the failure happens, ultimately the new level of supervision that says we’re going to put more capital on the sidelines only impacts entrepreneurs, only impacts seniors hoping for a better return, only impacts everyday Americans living paycheck to paycheck, trying to figure out how to make this economy and this system work for them. I don’t know how we explain to the small business owner who can’t get a loan because we’ve improved the capital standards by having more cash on the sidelines so there’s fewer dollars to loan out. That, because you didn’t do your jobs, sounds like doubling down and making the average person in the country pay a very high price for your failures. I think you’re making it more and more difficult for the average American in the average place to contribute to a thriving economy.

Related Issues: 

Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member, today made this statement on the resignation of U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Rachael Rollins and the nomination of Michael Delaney for the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

“Very pleased to see that Judiciary Committee Chairman Durbin supported the resignation of Rachael Rollins, U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts. I urge my Democratic colleagues to follow his lead.

“I, along with every Republican member of the committee, voted against Ms. Rollins’ nomination.  During her confirmation, there were many warning signs that were evident and unfortunately were ignored by my Democratic colleagues.

“I tend to be supportive of district court judges, U.S. attorneys and U.S. marshals nominated by home state senators.  I believe this maintains the tradition of the Senate confirmation process that has stood the test of time.

“However, nominations cannot just be blindly confirmed.  In this case, it should serve as a wakeup call. There is a necessity to make sure we are nominating qualified people – not the favorites of the left and right extremes.

“As to pending nominations in the Senate Judiciary Committee, the nomination of Michael Delaney to the First Circuit Court of Appeals has been held over several times.

“I oppose his nomination.  His answers to questions from committee members, regarding a lawsuit where he represented a private school accused of allowing sexual harassment and assault of a minor student, were ‘beyond the pale’ bad.  The parents of the victim involved in that litigation have come to the committee continuously as the nomination has been brought up.  I understand and share their concerns.

“I urge the Biden Administration to withdraw Mr. Delaney’s nomination.  Given his performance in the committee, he should not be placed on the First Circuit Court of Appeals.”

###

Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and J.D. Vance (R-OH) introduced the Law Enforcement Officers Parity Act, legislation aimed at guaranteeing proper retirement benefits for all federal law enforcement officers. U.S. Representatives Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced the companion bill in the House earlier this year.

Thousands of federal law enforcement officers receive retirement benefits that recognize the level of training they undergo and the danger inherent in their profession. However, Congress excluded officers in certain federal agencies from these benefits despite performing the same duties as their counterparts. This bipartisan bill would remedy this unfairness and extend federal benefits to these deserving men and women in uniform.

“For far too long, many federal law enforcement officers who risk their lives to protect us have been unfairly denied the retirement benefits other officers receive,” said Senator Booker. “I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan bill that will rectify this disparity and ensure that the brave officers who selflessly serve in federal law enforcement receive the full benefits they rightfully deserve for their service and sacrifice.”

“Due to an unjust distinction in our laws, thousands of dedicated men and women in uniform are deprived of complete access to federal retirement benefits. This is unacceptable and needs to change,” said Representative Pascrell, co-chair of the House Law Enforcement Caucus. “I am thrilled that my friend and colleague Senator Cory Booker is leading this fight in the Senate. Our bipartisan bill will help fix this loophole, ensuring federal officers receive proper compensation for their service.”

“For too long, police officers have not received full access to their federal retirement benefits. After putting their lives on the line for us every day, it is essential we ensure we are protecting and providing for our heroes in law enforcement,” said Representative Garbarino. “I am proud to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to fix this loophole in the law and expand full federal benefits to our men and women in blue.”

“As the author of the recently enacted First Responder Fair RETIRE Act, I know the unintended consequences and potential harm caused by a technical loophole in the law and the importance of closing these loopholes to ensure that our first responders get the benefits they deserve. Federal law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day and should not be denied fair compensation and benefits due to a quirk in the law,” said Representative Connolly. “I am proud to support this vital legislation and thank Reps. Pascrell, Garbarino and Fitzpatrick for their leadership in fighting to restore full benefits to these heroes.”

“Thousands of federal law enforcement officers are denied the enhanced salary benefits that are given to federal employees, and this bipartisan legislation remedies this problem,” said Representative Fitzpatrick. “I’m proud to support our men and women in uniform who put themselves in harm’s way everyday to protect our communities.”

Currently, approximately 30,000 federal law enforcement officers are deprived of enhanced retirement benefits under federal law – including certain officers working within the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Mint, National Institutes of Health, the Federal Protective Service, and many other agencies – despite shouldering similar responsibilities and encountering comparable risks as their counterparts.

The Law Enforcement Officers Parity Act, in particular, accomplishes the following:

1. Provides federal officers with 6(c) retirement benefits, enabling them to retire after 20 years of service at the age of 50 or after 25 years of service at any age.
2. Recognizes federal service performed by incumbent law enforcement officers after the enactment of this Act as service rendered as a law enforcement officer for retirement purposes.
3. Requires that past service of these incumbent law enforcement officers be treated as service performed as a law enforcement officer for retirement purposes, provided a written election is submitted to the Office of Personnel Management within five years after the Act’s enactment or before separation from government service, whichever comes first.
4. Expands the definition of “law enforcement officer” for retirement benefits to encompass all GS-0083 officers. This adjustment would extend law enforcement officer status to employees authorized to carry firearms and engaged in the investigation and/or apprehension of suspected criminals, employees of the Internal Revenue Service whose primary duties involve the collection of delinquent taxes and securing delinquent returns, employees of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs serving as department police officers.

“Due to their high level of training and the dangerous nature of the profession, Congress rightfully determined that Federal law enforcement officers should receive enhanced salary and retirement benefits, which are known as 6(c) benefits.  However, because of regulatory inconsistencies, nearly 30,000 Federal law enforcement officers do not receive these benefits because they are not recognized as law enforcement officers.  Yet they have the same training, the same duties, and face the same dangers as every other Federal officer.  This bill will ensure that all Federal law enforcement officers receive the same benefits when they retire. The FOP is grateful to Senators Booker and Vance for re-introducing this legislation and we look forward to working with them in the months ahead,” said Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police.

“This legislation is absolutely critical to the federal law enforcement community and essential to maintaining a strong talent pipeline across federal agencies. Across some 65 agencies federal law enforcement officers and agents undergo similar training, have similar arrest authorities, and use similar investigative techniques tailored to their agency’s mission. Most importantly, they all put their lives on the line for the safety and security of the American people. Despite the many things that unify federal law enforcement regardless of agency, there is a great divide between the pay and benefits available to certain federal law enforcement due to an archaic definition of what it means to be a ‘law enforcement officer’ under federal retirement law. It is time for a change that creates parity across the federal law enforcement community. We applaud Senator Booker and Senator Vance for introducing this bipartisan bill and look to supporting its passage into law,” said Larry Cosme, President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.

“The Law Enforcement Officers Parity Act expands the definition of ‘law enforcement officer’ for retirement purposes to ensure that all federal law enforcement officers, no matter what their classification, are treated equally regarding retirement benefits.  With all federal law enforcement officers eligible for the same enhanced retirement benefits, it will improve the ability of agencies to recruit and retain experienced and highly trained officers. This is vital at a time when law enforcement agencies across the nation are experiencing recruitment and retention issues. NAPO looks forward to working with Senators Booker and Vance on this important legislation,” said Bill Johnson, Executive Director of the National Association of Police Organizations.

“AFGE thanks Senator Booker and Senator Vance for reintroducing the ‘Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act,’ now titled in the Senate the ‘Law Enforcement Officers Parity Act.’ This bill will bring much needed parity for federal law enforcement officers’ retirement benefits at the VA, DoD and other agencies. This bill will improve recruitment and retention at federal agencies where law enforcement officers currently do not receive the same retirement benefits as their sisters and brothers at other agencies” said Everett Kelley, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees.

The bill is endorsed by the following organizations: Fraternal Order of Police, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, National Association of Police Organizations, American Federation of Government Employees.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and U.S. Representative Nanette Barragán (D-CA) introduced the bicameral EVs for All Act, legislation that would increase access to electric vehicles (EVs) for residents of public housing across the nation. Many of these individuals currently face limited or no access to EVs, while grappling with high gas prices and disproportionate exposure to pollution from conventional vehicles.

“If we want a greener and more sustainable future, we must prioritize accessibility and equity,” said Senator Booker. “By expanding access to EVs for residents of public housing, we can empower low-income communities with clean transportation options and alleviate the burden of high gas prices and pollution. That is why I am proud to join Representative Barragán in introducing this legislation that represents our commitment to environmental justice and ensures everyone has a fair chance to benefit from the transition to electric vehicles.”

“A successful clean energy future requires that every resident, regardless of income can take part,”said Representative Barragán. “Electric vehicle car share programs can improve the economic mobility and quality of life of residents whose communities face disproportionate air pollution and climate impacts. This model has proven popular at Rancho San Pedro public housing in my district, and I’m excited to reintroduce the EVs for All Act to expand it to every part of the country.”

The EVs for All Act includes several key provisions to drive the expansion of EV accessibility and infrastructure in low-income communities:

• Development of an EV Car Sharing Program: The U.S. Department of Energy, in coordination with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Transportation, will establish a program that offers grants of up to $1 million to public housing agencies, local governments, or non-profit organizations. These grants will support the implementation of EV car sharing services specifically designed for public housing projects. Additional funding will be available for the installation of direct current fast charging equipment.
• Annual Appropriations: The legislation authorizes annual appropriations of up to $50 million from Fiscal Year 2024 to 2033. This funding will provide numerous communities across the country with the opportunity to expand EV accessibility for low-income residents.
• Comprehensive Support: The EVs for All Act covers various expenses associated with EV adoption, including the cost of purchasing EVs, installing and maintaining charging infrastructure, community education and outreach initiatives, subsidized fares, maintenance and repairs, monitoring and data collection, as well as technical assistance to run the service.
• Job Creation and Workforce Development: The legislation mandates prevailing wage requirements and encourages grant recipients to hire at least 40 percent of local and disadvantaged workers. Workers must also possess an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) certificate or a certificate from a registered apprenticeship program for electricians, in line with the Biden Administration’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Standard.

The legislation is cosponsored by U.S Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL); U.S. Representatives Crockett (D-TX), Tlaib (D-MI), Norton (D-DC), Pingree (D-ME), Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Clarke (D-N.Y.), Payne (D-N.J.), Khanna (D-CA), Jackson Lee (D-TX), Jayapal (D-CA), Cleaver (D-MO), Lieu (D-CA), Gomez (D-CA), Costa (D-CA), Scanlon (D-PA), Matsui (D-CA), Lee (D-CA), Carson (D-IN), Garcia (D-IL), and Espaillat (D-N.Y.)

The legislation is supported by a coalition of organizations advocating for environmental justice, clean technology, housing, and climate solutions. The full list of endorsing organizations can be found here.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

---

---

Next Article

Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

Legislation Establishing Civilian Cybersecurity Reserve Program At Department Of Homeland Security Can Now Be Considered By Entire Senate

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Senator Rosen’s bipartisan Department of Homeland Security Civilian Cybersecurity Reserve Act advanced out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee with broad, bipartisan support. This legislation, which Rosen introduced with Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), would establish a Civilian Cybersecurity Reserve pilot program within the Department of Homeland Security. This program would boost efforts to recruit qualified civilian cybersecurity personnel to serve in reserve capacities to ensure the U.S. government has the talent needed to respond to cyberattacks, especially at times of greatest need.

“Cyberattacks continue targeting the United States with increasing frequency, stretching thin our current capacity to defend our nation,” said Senator Rosen. “It’s why I’m glad my bipartisan legislation to create a civilian cybersecurity reserve has passed out of committee. As a former computer programmer, I will continue working to ensure our nation has the capacity to deter and swiftly respond to cyberattacks.”

As the first and only former computer programmer to serve in the U.S. Senate, Senator Rosen has led the fight to strengthen the United States’ cybersecurity. Last Congress, Senator Rosen introduced her bipartisan Healthcare Cybersecurity Act, which would improve cybersecurity in the Health Care and Public Health Sector. Senator Rosen has introduced bipartisan bills to bolster the cybersecurity of medical devices and records from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, both of  which were signed into law. Last year, she led a bipartisan group of 22 senators in a letter to Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas asking for a briefing on how the Department of Homeland Security is protecting Americans from possible Russian cyberattacks. 

###

Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

---

---

Next Article Previous Article