Brooklyn, N.Y. – Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke released the following statement on H.R. 3107, the bipartisan Homeland Security Cybersecurity Boots on the Ground Act, a bill she introduced to protect the security of the Internet and the electrical grid which passed today in the House of Representatives by a vote of 395 to 8.

The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to establish classifications for workers responsible for cybersecurity, to develop a strategy to recruit experts in cybersecurity, to share the classifications for workers responsible for cybersecurity with other federal agencies, to assess hiring and training programs for cybersecurity positions, and to establish a process to verify that independent contractors hired by the agency provide information security training to their workers.

“Instability around the world increases the risk of a terrorist attack on our electrical grid, our military installations, or our personal information. We know that both terrorist organizations and nations hostile to the United States have attempted to infiltrate our government agencies and private companies – in some instances, as occurred at Target last December, with success,” said Congresswoman Clarke, the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies. “As a result, we must have the best trained experts in cybersecurity at work on our behalf.  H.R. 3107 will establish a process for recruiting and retaining high-level specialists in cybersecurity at the Department of Homeland Security and will contribute to our security as a nation.”

The bill was co-sponsored by Congressman Steven Horsford of Nevada and Congressman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, Ranking Member of the Committee, and Congressman Patrick Meehan of Pennsylvania, Chairman of the Subcommittee.

U.S. Representative Yvette D. Clarke is a member of the House Committee on Small Business, Ethics, and Homeland Security, where she is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies. She represents many neighborhoods in central and southern Brooklyn, NY which include Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Gerritsen Beach, Madison, Midwood, parts of Park Slope and Flatlands, Prospect Heights, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Sheepshead Bay, and Windsor Terrace.