FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 1, 2021

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) released the following statement announcing her appointment to Chair of the Homeland Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Innovation Subcommittee, under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Homeland Security. 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee legislates and oversees programs and issue areas of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) mission in cybersecurity, infrastructure protection, and promoting security technologies. It will enhance greater collaboration on cybersecurity across the 16 critical infrastructure sectors and the sharing of cyber threat information between the private sector and federal, state, and local partners. Lastly, the Subcommittee will seek to increase DHS’s ability to protect federal networks, improve the protection of our Nation’s critical assets, and ensure the essential development of technology solutions for emerging threats.

“I am honored to serve as Chair of the Homeland Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation Subcommittee. The salient issue of cybersecurity encompasses everything that pertains to protecting our Nation’s sensitive data, intellectual property, data, and governmental and industry information systems from theft, tampering,  and damage,” said Clarke. “Fundamentally, our society is more technologically reliant than ever before and the spread of false, deceptive, or misleading statements, information, acts, or practices, amplified by the use of technology and social media, threatens the integrity of democratic institutions, and the rule of law which form the foundation of our democracy. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Biden-Harris administration to advance and fortify our nation’s cybersecurity, infrastructure protection, and innovation.” 

“I am glad Congresswoman Clarke will be leading our Committee’s Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation Subcommittee this Congress. After the previous Administration failed to make cybersecurity a top priority in the face of growing and evolving threats, we will have to make up for lost time. As we continue to learn more about the wide-spread cyber campaign targeting federal networks and certain critical infrastructure, there will be a great deal of work ahead to mature our federal network security programs, implement robust chain risk management practices, and evolve the partnership between the Federal government and the private sector. I have every confidence Rep. Clarke is the right person for the job,” said Congressman Bennie Thompson, Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

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Yvette D. Clarke has been in Congress since 2007. She represents New York’s Ninth Congressional District, which includes Central and South Brooklyn. Clarke is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security.

Media contact: 

Remmington Belford 

Remmington.belford@mail.house.gov c: 202.480.5737