Mike Lawler Presses Top State Department Official On 'Department-Wide' Counter Intelligence

Forbes Breaking News

During a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing prior to the congressional recess, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) questioned Assistant Secretary of Administration, José Cunningham, about counter intelligence at the State Department.

Transcript

00:00Mr. Cunningham, I just want to follow up on one thing. In today's threat environment,

00:05cybersecurity and counterintelligence must be fully integrated into all levels of State Department

00:10operations with functions spread across various bureaus and families. Coordination and clarity

00:16are critical. How is the Bureau of Management overseeing counterintelligence and cybersecurity

00:22functions department-wide? Thank you, Chairman, for that question. In today's multipolar world,

00:30where we are facing challenges that are so unique to the 21st century, obviously defending

00:36against cyberattacks is a very important function of the Management Bureau. We've identified

00:42and responded to two very specific nation state cyberattacks recently, and we're doing everything

00:49we can to ensure that our records retention and records review of anything related to WhatsApp

00:57and signal our part and parcel of what we do. We also have done something through this

01:01reorganization, sir, to make sure that all of the, in fact, I think it was seven or eight

01:08bureaus in the department had their own IT shops, and so we have consolidated that under our

01:16chief information officer, and we'll get the economies of scale that we need out of that

01:21operation. Furthering up on this, what steps are being taken to embed counterintelligence awareness

01:30and training into the daily operations of overseas missions? That's a very important question, sir.

01:37There are a number of trainings that take place. In fact, we're reimagining the kind of training that is

01:45necessary earlier. I think one of your colleagues mentioned the Foreign Service Institute. We're making

01:50sure that we have the right kind of training and skill sets in place that will address any counterterrorist

01:58issues before they head off and go overseas. In fact, I'm, I think next week I'm going through a two-day

02:04training just to make sure that I understand what that training entails and make sure that it also matches

02:10our goals in the, in the America first foreign policy agenda. Appreciate that.

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