The Biden administration and Congress are mobilizing to confront ransomware attacks on critical organizations such as schools and hospitals, which some officials have labeled a national security threat.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice and Capitol Hill are all spearheading efforts to get a handle on ransomware attacks, which have skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic as cyber criminals targeted vulnerable networks that came under increased strain.
“The threat is real. The threat is upon us. The risk is to all of us,” DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
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Ransomware attacks have increasingly posed a threat to critical services over the past year. Hospital systems across the country have been hit, along with school districts in Baltimore County, Md., and Fairfax County, Va., among many others.
WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK
Republican Counterproposal. Senate Republicans are crafting a counter-proposal as an alternative to President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan (AJP). The package is expected to cost around $600 to $800 billion and consist only of “traditional” infrastructure projects like highways, roads and bridges. When exactly the proposal will be introduced is unclear, but its contents will continue to develop this week.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
White House Infrastructure Meeting. President Biden continued his push to gain support from lawmakers for his infrastructure proposal. Yesterday, he held the second in a series of meetings on the plan, this time with lawmakers that previously served as state or local government officials.
UpdatedWed, May 5, 2021 at 4:26 pm ET
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A bill by Rep. Kathleen Rice and Rep. Andrew Garbarino would protect Long Island homeowners from new National Flood Insurance Program changes. (Olivia Booth/Patch)
WASHINGTON Congresswoman Kathleen Rice (D NY), who represents many south shore homeowners in flood zones, announced a program to give families a clearer understanding of rising flood insurance rates.
Should the bill pass, the Federal Emergency Management Agency must release a comprehensive analysis for new flood rates at least six months before making changes to the National Flood Insurance Program.
The bill, put forth by Rice and Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R NY), would also halt any adjustments to FEMA s flood-risk methodology during or within six months following COVID-19 declaration.
Republican campaign arm targets Tonko s district after redistricting
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U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko joined U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer for an announcement that state restaurants are now eligible for their own, direct federal pandemic relief, as part of the American Rescue Plan on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, at Russo s Grill in Amsterdam, N.Y. (Will Waldron/Times Union)Will Waldron/Albany Times UnionShow MoreShow Less
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Republican Liz Joy speaks to her supporters at the podium during a Liz Joy for Congress Watch Party on election day at the River Stone Manor on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020 in Schenectady, N.Y. Joy mount a second challenge to Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, in 2022. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)Lori Van Buren/Albany Times UnionShow MoreShow Less
April 30, 2021
Republicans Scramble to Cover Up Vote Against Rescue Plan’s Small Business Relief
House Republicans unanimously voted against the overwhelmingly popular American Rescue Plan. Now they’re scrambling to cover up for their votes to block vaccines in arms, money in pockets, Americans in jobs, and kids back in school.
This week alone, half-a-dozen House Republicans have been exposed for voting against relief for struggling restaurants – and doubling back to take credit for it.
Republican shamelessness around the American Rescue Plan is a helpful preview of the credit-claiming Republicans will soon attempt with the jobs and infrastructure projects created by the American Jobs Plan.