The House Homeland Security Committee on Thursday approved five bipartisan bills, including a measure to create a new industrial control systems training initiative and another restricting the Department of Homeland Security in providing research funds to any college or university that has a relationship with certain Chinese entities.
The Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Training Act (H.R. 7777), introduced by Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), would require the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to establish a training initiative to strengthen the capabilities of the cybersecurity workforce in securing industrial control systems.
The DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act (H.R. 7799), introduced by Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), would prevent DHS from providing science, technology, research and development funds to any institution of higher learning that has a relationship with a Confucius Institute or other Chinese entities of concern.
“We know that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is utilizing Confucius Institutes to infiltrate American university campuses to engage in espionage, steal our intellectual property, intimidate Chinse dissidents, promote communist propaganda, and funnel information back to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA),” Pfluger said in a statement. “Under no circumstances should American taxpayer dollars be used to enrich the CCP or PLA.”
The Committee also passed a bill requiring Customs and Border Protection to issue containment devices and related training to its personnel to provide protection against exposure to fentanyl, other lethal drugs and chemical substances that are seized or encountered by law enforcers and first responders. The Prevent Exposure to Narcotics and Toxics (PREVENT) Act (H.R. 5274) was introduced by Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Ohio).
The National Computer Forensics Institute Reauthorization Act of 2022 (H.R. 7174), introduced by Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), reauthorizes for 10 years the National Computer Forensics Institute, a federally funded center to train law enforcement officers and judicial officials on cyber electronic crimes and related threats. The center is based in Alabama and is operated in partnership between the Secret Service and the Alabama Office of Prosecution Services.
The panel also passed a bill introduced by Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the committee chairman, aimed at preventing anyone from using the DHS seal to mislead others, or misappropriate in a way that indicates the department has approved such use. Thompson said DHS supports the bill and that it responds to recent arrests of two people that impersonated DHS officers.
All the bills were approved by voice vote.