Bennie Thompson Archives

Brad Smith, Vice Chairman and President of Microsoft, testifies about Microsoft’s cybersecurity work during a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

Lawmakers question Microsoft president over China ties, repeated breaches

Brad Smith defended the company at a time of growing concerns about whether the tech giant is sufficiently prioritizing security.

Jun 13, 2024 By Tim Starks

Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President at the Microsoft Corporation, arrives for a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law oversight hearing to examine legislating artificial intelligence (AI), on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on September 12, 2023. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

House panel leaders call on Microsoft president to testify over security shortcomings

The Homeland Security Committee plans a May 22 hearing.

May 10, 2024 By Tim Starks

Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman joins members of Congress at an event on July 12, 2016 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for MoveOn.org)

Congress pummels Colonial Pipeline CEO over government coordination after disruptive ransomware incident

The company's response put on display broader Hill concerns about the private sector's ransomware safeguards.

Jun 9, 2021 By Tim Starks

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) questions witnesses during a hearing on ‘worldwide threats to the homeland’ in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill September 17, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Lawmakers say Colonial Pipeline’s refusal to discuss ransom undermines US efforts

The shutdown of Colonial Pipeline has renewed a debate over whether organizations held hostage by hackers should pay them off.

May 18, 2021 By Sean Lyngaas

TSA — The spotlight is on the Transportation Security Administration and other agencies’ work on pipeline cybersecurity. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

After Colonial Pipeline hack, lawmakers want more action on pipeline security

A two-year-old federal pipeline initiative has shown promise, but more needs to be done, lawmakers say.

May 12, 2021 By Sean Lyngaas

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 16: The American flag flies above the U.S. Capitol building during a press conference on Capitol Hill. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Ex-government officials urge US to take action to avoid another SolarWinds-style hack

Top security leaders testified in front of the House Homeland Security Committee's first cyber-focused hearing of 2021, with the SolarWinds hack taking center stage.

Feb 10, 2021 By Jeff Stone

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., (left) speaks with Voting Village co-organizer Harri Hursti. (Sean Lyngaas/ CyberScoop)

Voting Village brings equipment to lawmakers to boost urgency on election security

This time, they brought the equipment.

Oct 29, 2019 By Sean Lyngaas

Bennie Thompson, House Homeland Security — Rep. Bennie Thompson in 2016, when he was ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee. He became chairman in 2019. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection / Flickr)

Shutdown erodes feds’ ability to set cyber strategies, say lawmaker and ex-DHS officials

The shutdown has stalled some of DHS’s more anticipatory work, like vulnerability assessments of critical systems and election-security initiatives.

Jan 24, 2019 By Sean Lyngaas

Democrats’ massive House bill to include election security measures

H.R. 1, known as the “For the People Act,” would require states to replace paperless voting systems, create grants to help states audit their election results, and…

Jan 3, 2019 By Jeff Stone

Rep. Micahel McCaul (U.S. Customs and Border Protection / Flickr)

House panel rejects call for cyberthreat report on ZTE amid possible Trump deal

On the heels of a reported U.S. deal with embattled Chinese telecom company ZTE, American lawmakers rejected a measure that would have directed the Department of Homeland…

Jun 6, 2018 By Sean Lyngaas