Dallas City Wire

Amid growing concerns over the security of critical national assets, Rep. Pat Fallon (TX-04) has joined with Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33) to introduce the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Security Assessment Act, according to a July 25 press release. This bipartisan legislation seeks to ensure the safeguarding of vital resources, such as the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), by mandating annual evaluations of both physical and cybersecurity threats, in a bid to bolster the nation's energy security in an ever-evolving threat landscape. 

"The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a crucial energy infrastructure resource that is meant to relieve supply chain disturbances and to alleviate national emergencies," said Rep. Fallon, according to the press release. "The 2021 ransomware attacks on the Colonial Pipeline and the over 160 reported physical attacks on the American electrical grid in 2022 highlight the array of threats posed to the SPR. Whether physical or cyber, these dynamic threats need to be assessed on a regular basis. Through the SPR Security Assessment Act, Congress will ensure that the federal government better understands the threat environment and that we are prepared to counter threats to the SPR. I am proud to partner with my Texas colleague, Rep. Veasey, on this bill in an effort to strengthen American national security." 

According to the press release, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Security Assessment Act would require the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct annual appraisals of both physical and cybersecurity risks concerning the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The bipartisan initiative was co-sponsored by Rep. Veasey.

Reuters reported that on May 7, 2021, the Colonial Pipeline, a significant American oil pipeline in Houston that delivers gasoline and jet fuel to the Southeastern U.S., fell victim to a ransomware. In response, the company was forced to cease operations temporarily. The attack was one of the most disruptive ransomware attacks on record and was attributed to the hacker group DarkSide.

Attacks on the U.S. electrical grid have reached unprecedented levels in the past decade, resulting in widespread outages and triggering calls for enhanced security measures from state and federal lawmakers, according to Axios. An analysis of Department of Energy data reveals that 163 incidents of vandalism, physical attacks, or suspicious activity were reported last year, surpassing the previous peak of 94 incidents in 2020. Recent cases have left thousands without power, and federal authorities have charged individuals for plotting destructive acts against energy infrastructure.