Torres Participates in Homeland Security Field Hearing on Port Security
ONTARIO, CA –Today, Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-Pomona) participated in a bipartisan Homeland Security Committee field hearing at the Port of Los Angeles titled "Examining Physical Security and Cybersecurity at our Nation's Ports." This hearing is being held on the heels of last week's successful passage of H.R. 3101, Torres' Strengthening Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Coordination in Our Ports Act of 2017 in the U.S. House of Representatives.
"Today's hearing highlighted the crucial role that cybersecurity plays in the overall security of our ports," said Torres. "The ports are incredibly important to my district and the Inland Empire, and this hearing once again emphasized the importance of addressing cyber threats to protect our country's critical information and infrastructure. A cyber-attack on our ports could have a huge economic impact nationwide. A recent study estimated that a shutdown at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long beach would cost the local economy $1 billion per day. Now is the time to take proactive steps and protect our economic assets, we cannot afford to wait until it's too late."
Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (TX-10) and Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (MS-2) traveled to Los Angeles to chair the hearing, and were also joined by Reps. Lowenthal, Diaz Barragan, Correa, Hunter, Estes and Rohrabacher. Testimony was provided by Rear Admiral Todd A. Sokalzuk, Commander of the Eleventh Coast Guard District, Carlos C. Martel, with the Los Angeles Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Eugene D. Seroka, Executive Director for The Port of Los Angeles, Mario Cordero, Executive Director for The Port of Long Beach, and Ray Familathe, International Vice-President for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.