Congress: Hold DHS Accountable for Protecting the Electric Grid

Posted on by Michael Mabee

 

Hold DHS Accountable For Protecting the Electric Grid

Recently, I asked the question: “Is DHS Dropping the Ball on Critical Infrastructure Protection?” On December 23, 2016, the provisions of the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act (CIPA) were passed as section 1913 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. (Click here for the relevant 4 pages with the public law provisions of “CIPA.”)

Over a year later and all we’ve heard is crickets. So, I wrote to the chair and ranking member of all four committees who were supposed to be the recipients of the DHS reports asking them to look into the status of the work and the reports.

We need these Congressional committees to hold DHS accountable for doing the statutorily mandated work to protect the electric grid. Below my letter is the information you need to contact the leadership of these committees.

 

Click for .PDF Copy of Letter

April 20, 2018

 

U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Senator Ron Johnson, Chairman
340 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC, 20510

Subject: DHS Inaction on the Critical Infrastructure Protection Provisions of
Public Law 114-328, §1913 of the NDAA for FY 2017

 

Dear Senator Johnson,

On December 23, 2016, essential critical infrastructure protection provisions were passed as section 1913 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. By now, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should have taken various actions and submitted at least two reports to Congress, possibly three. Specifically:

  • Section 1913(a)(2): Within 6 monthsof  December 23, 2016 a recommended strategy to protect and prepare the critical infrastructure of the homeland against threats of EMP and GMD should have been submitted to Congress.
  • Section 1913(c): Not later than one yearafter the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit the recommended strategy required under 6 U.S.C. §121(d)(26)(A) [Seems to be similar to the report mentioned above in §1913(a)(2) but a different due date.]
  • Section 1913(d): Not later than 180 daysafter the date of the enactment of this section, DHS was supposed to submit a report to Congress a report describing the progress made in most of the provisions of PL 14-328 §1913.

These reports were supposed to be unclassified (i.e., should be available to the public) and were supposed to be submitted to:

  • U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security
  • U. S. House of Representatives, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
  • U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
  • U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

I can find no publically available evidence that these reports have been completed. I request that the Committee look into the status of these critical reports and actions to insure that DHS is meeting its statutory obligations.

Thank you for your consideration,

 

Michael Mabee

 

Contact Information For Congress:

These reports were supposed to be unclassified (i.e., should be available to the public) and were supposed to be submitted to:

Here are the addresses of the Chair and Ranking Member of each of the relevant committees. Do not hesitate to write your own letter – especially if one of these people is your Representative or Senator! Ask them to hold DHS accountable to protect the electric grid.

Committee on Homeland Security
U.S. House of Representatives
Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, Ranking Member
H2-117 Ford House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Committee on Homeland Security
U.S. House of Representatives
Rep. Michael McCaul, Chairman
2001 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

U.S. House of Representatives
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Rep. Devin Nunes, Chairman
Longworth House Office Building
Suite 1013
Washington, DC 20515

U.S. House of Representatives
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Rep. Adam Schiff, Ranking Member
2372 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Senator Ron Johnson, Chairman
340 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC, 20510

U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Senator Claire McCaskill, Ranking Member
340 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC, 20510

U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Senator Richard Burr, Chairman
211 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Senator Mark Warner, Vice Chairman
211 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510