During Committee Hearing, Rep. Menefee Urges Stronger Federal and State Action to Protect America’s Water Systems from Cyber Attacks
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, during a House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology titled “Research-Driven Resilience: Applying Science to Secure U.S. Water Systems from Cyber Threats,” hearing Rep. Christian D. Menefee (TX-18) warned about the growing cybersecurity threats facing America’s water infrastructure and the serious risks a successful attack could pose to Houston and communities across the country.
During the hearing, Rep. Menefee highlighted Houston’s aging water infrastructure, including the East Water Purification Plant, which serves approximately 2.2 million people and stressed the urgent need for stronger federal investment and coordination with local officials to defend critical systems from foreign cyber threats.
“What might sound like a far-off Washington issue is actually a very real threat to communities like Houston,” said Rep. Menefee. “Millions of people depend on water systems every single day, and we cannot afford to ignore the growing cyber threats targeting this critical infrastructure.”
Rep. Menefee also raised concerns about testimony that Chinese military-linked hackers are already positioned inside American water systems and pointed to findings from the Government Accountability Office that the Environmental Protection Agency lacks the resources and organization necessary to fully address the growing threat. He warned that continued cuts to the EPA could leave communities like Houston even more vulnerable.
Rep. Menefee further noted the danger such disruptions could pose to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world, where hospitals may only be able to operate for a matter of hours without water access, especially during Houston’s extreme summer heat.
“I am going to keep bringing light to this issue,” Rep. Menefee said. “I look forward to federal, state, and local officials coming together around a common strategy and pursuing commonsense solutions to address these serious and growing threats.”
Click HERE or the photo below to watch some of the questioning:
###