Skip to content
December 18, 2020

Homeland Security and Oversight Committee Leaders Issue Statement After Classified Briefing on Cyber Attack on Government Systems

(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security; Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform; Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation, and Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, released the following statement after their Committees received a classified briefing from the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on the cyber-attack on government systems:

“After receiving a classified member briefing from the Trump Administration today on the major hack to government systems, we are left with more questions than answers.  Even in the midst of an unprecedented cyberattack with far-reaching implications for our national security, Administration officials were unwilling to share the full scope of the breach and identities of the victims.

“What is clear is that this was a serious incident and our government system’s network defenses do not match the constantly evolving capabilities of our adversaries. We need the Administration to tell Congress what resources and authorities they need to ensure this does not happen again. Given the urgency of this matter and the many unanswered questions, we have demanded the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies to return to Capitol Hill to give us an in-person briefing as soon as possible.”

#  #  #

Press Contact

Aryele Bradford (Oversight and Reform): (202) 226-5181
Adam Comis (Homeland Security): (202) 225-9978