PRINTER'S NO. 717
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.87
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY BONNER, KRUPA, JAMES, KUZMA, KAUFFMAN, ZIMMERMAN,
BANTA AND SCIALABBA, FEBRUARY 21, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
FEBRUARY 21, 2025
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a
study reviewing the risk to critical infrastructure from
foreign purchases of critical infrastructure assets and
adjacent land in this Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, On November 25, 2023, equipment at a booster station
owned by the Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa was hacked
by an Iranian-backed cyber group; and
WHEREAS, Following the cyber attack, Deputy National Security
Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies Anne Neuberger said
that American companies and operators of critical infrastructure
"are facing persistent and capable cyber attacks from hostile
countries and criminals"; and
WHEREAS, On February 4, 2024, portions of the Pennsylvania
Courts website were impacted by a denial of service cyber
attack, which occurs when malicious actors flood the targeted
host or network with traffic until the target cannot respond or
simply crashes, preventing access for legitimate users; and
WHEREAS, The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United
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18 States (CFIUS) is an interagency committee comprised of the
Department of the Treasury, the Department of Justice, the
Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Commerce, the
Department of Defense, the Department of State, the Department
of Energy, the Office of the United States Trade Representative
and the Office of Science and Technology Policy; and
WHEREAS, CFIUS is authorized to suspend or prohibit certain
transactions involving foreign investment in the United States
that threaten to impair the national security of the United
States; and
WHEREAS, CFIUS' review of foreign investment transactions
includes a review of the transaction participants' relationship
to foreign governments, the impact on cybersecurity and the risk
to sensitive data; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has no analogous process for
reviewing foreign investments for foreign purchases of critical
infrastructure assets and adjacent land that threaten to impair
the security of the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, As the elected representatives of the people of this
Commonwealth tasked with the stewardship of our Commonwealth's
resources, it is our duty and responsibility to discern what can
be done to protect our Commonwealth's critical infrastructure
from attack; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
State Government Commission to conduct a study reviewing the
risk to critical infrastructure from foreign purchases of
critical infrastructure assets and adjacent land in this
Commonwealth for possible security implications; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the study consider the types of infrastructure
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30 in this Commonwealth that represent critical infrastructure that
requires additional consideration and protection from the
security risks that come from foreign purchases; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the study include an examination of the
possible risk to Commonwealth security that comes from the
foreign purchase of critical infrastructure assets and adjacent
land in this Commonwealth; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the study examine practices of the other 49
states to determine how they protect their critical
infrastructure assets and adjacent lands, identify best
practices from the 49 states and determine the feasibility of
implementing best practices in this Commonwealth; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the study examine CFIUS, including how it
operates and whether the creation of a similar process in this
Commonwealth would be beneficial in protecting the critical
infrastructure assets and adjacent land of this Commonwealth;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission be
authorized to request information that is not protected from
disclosure from Commonwealth agencies, authorities, commissions
and departments for the study on behalf of the House of
Representatives; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission issue a
report of its findings and recommendations and submit the report
to the General Assembly no later than 24 months after the
adoption of this resolution.
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