U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., chairman of the Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection, today released the following statement regarding the cyberattack on U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Commerce.

“The Commerce Committee received an initial briefing from the Department of Commerce regarding a sophisticated cyberattack, and we will continue to monitor the investigation closely. While many details are still unknown, the attack emphasizes the importance of strong cybersecurity protections and rapid incident responses across all federal agencies. Cyberattacks by nation states like Russia and China threaten our economy and national security. Our response should be swift and clear.”

Chairman Wicker’s bill, S. 2775, the Harvesting American Cybersecurity Knowledge Through Education (HACKED) Act, was included in the recently-passed National Defense Authorization Act. The bill includes provisions to enhance the cybersecurity workforce of federal agencies. It would also develop standards for cybersecurity awareness for federal employees.