{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-mccollum-statement-suspected-iranian-involvement-attack", "Congresswoman McCollum Statement on Suspected Iranian Involvement in Attack on Minnesota\u2019s Water Infrastructure", "2026-07-30", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", "mccollum", "https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Betty McCollum, the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, issued the following statement on Thursday in response to reporting from the New York Times indicating that investigators suspect that Iranian hackers were behind the cyberattacks on dozens of Minnesota\u2019s municipal water systems earlier this week:\n\n\u201cThis incident demonstrates that Minnesota\u2019s municipalities, businesses, and residents must be prepared not only to ward off cybersecurity threats from cybercriminals, but also from terrorist organizations and nation-states,\u201d said Congresswoman McCollum. \u201cIt also shows the urgent need for the federal government to advance critical cybersecurity measures to protect small businesses, large enterprises, and local governments by providing state-of-the-art defensive measures to defend against malicious attacks by bad actors who intend to sow chaos and extract ransom. I have worked closely with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in partnership with Metro State University to ensure that our communities are prepared to protect themselves from these attacks, and I will continue to aggressively pursue funding and resources to support defensive measures for Minnesota\u2019s businesses and municipalities.\u201d\n\n\u201cCybersecurity is inseparable from public safety. Although no contamination or public health impacts have been reported, this attack demonstrates the risks posed when malicious actors gain access to the operational technology that supports essential water and wastewater services,\u201d said Faisal Kaleem, Director and Professor of Cybersecurity, Metro State University. \u201cMinnesota\u2019s communities need trained cybersecurity professionals, secure systems, affordable continuous monitoring, and strong partnerships among federal, state, local, and educational institutions. Metro State University is committed to helping build that resilience through education, workforce development, and partnerships that strengthen the critical infrastructure Minnesotans depend on every day.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs these attacks become increasingly common, leaders at every level of government are working tirelessly with academic and industry partners for our common defense in the cyber domain, improving information sharing, coordination and cyber talent development to detect and defend against elevated attacks,\" said Army Maj. Gen. Stefanie Horvath, Minnesota National Guard\u2019s Assistant Adjutant General. \"A united approach is just as important in the cyber domain as it is in the physical domain to defend against attacks.\u201d\n\nCongresswoman McCollum has worked to provide federal resources for cybersecurity initiatives since 2021, when she served as the Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. She believes that Minnesota must continue to work to take advantage of the opportunities provided by this federal funding. These attacks show the necessity of developing a strong workforce that includes cybersecurity professionals who will be able to support efforts to prevent and defend against cyberattacks.\n\nCongresswoman McCollum has also worked closely with Metro State University in Saint Paul, which continues to be a key leader in this effort, and she has supported the expansion of Metro State\u2019s cybersecurity education programs through Community Project Funding. Metro State University has also led the way in partnering with the Minnesota National Guard on cyber training initiatives, providing a model for how Minnesota\u2019s public and private sectors can work with the cybersecurity professionals in the National Guard to defend our communities. Congresswoman McCollum will continue to support these efforts through her work in Congress to supply them with the resources required to protect Minnesotans.", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-mccollum-statement-suspected-iranian-involvement-attack"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8135908283293247, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}