HR 87 — 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.

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
 1   Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a
 2      study reviewing the risk to critical infrastructure from
 3      foreign purchases of critical infrastructure assets and
 4      adjacent land in this Commonwealth.
 5      WHEREAS, On November 25, 2023, equipment at a booster station
 6   owned by the Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa was hacked
 7   by an Iranian-backed cyber group; and
 8      WHEREAS, Following the cyber attack, Deputy National Security
 9   Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies Anne Neuberger said
10   that American companies and operators of critical infrastructure
11   "are facing persistent and capable cyber attacks from hostile
12   countries and criminals"; and
13      WHEREAS, On February 4, 2024, portions of the Pennsylvania
14   Courts website were impacted by a denial of service cyber
15   attack, which occurs when malicious actors flood the targeted
16   host or network with traffic until the target cannot respond or
17   simply crashes, preventing access for legitimate users; and
18      WHEREAS, The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United
 1   States (CFIUS) is an interagency committee comprised of the
 2   Department of the Treasury, the Department of Justice, the
 3   Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Commerce, the
 4   Department of Defense, the Department of State, the Department
 5   of Energy, the Office of the United States Trade Representative
 6   and the Office of Science and Technology Policy; and
 7      WHEREAS, CFIUS is authorized to suspend or prohibit certain
 8   transactions involving foreign investment in the United States
 9   that threaten to impair the national security of the United
10   States; and
11      WHEREAS, CFIUS' review of foreign investment transactions
12   includes a review of the transaction participants' relationship
13   to foreign governments, the impact on cybersecurity and the risk
14   to sensitive data; and
15      WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has no analogous process for
16   reviewing foreign investments for foreign purchases of critical
17   infrastructure assets and adjacent land that threaten to impair
18   the security of the Commonwealth; and
19      WHEREAS, As the elected representatives of the people of this
20   Commonwealth tasked with the stewardship of our Commonwealth's
21   resources, it is our duty and responsibility to discern what can
22   be done to protect our Commonwealth's critical infrastructure
23   from attack; therefore be it
24      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
25   State Government Commission to conduct a study reviewing the
26   risk to critical infrastructure from foreign purchases of
27   critical infrastructure assets and adjacent land in this
28   Commonwealth for possible security implications; and be it
29   further
30      RESOLVED, That the study consider the types of infrastructure

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 1   in this Commonwealth that represent critical infrastructure that
 2   requires additional consideration and protection from the
 3   security risks that come from foreign purchases; and be it
 4   further
 5      RESOLVED, That the study include an examination of the
 6   possible risk to Commonwealth security that comes from the
 7   foreign purchase of critical infrastructure assets and adjacent
 8   land in this Commonwealth; and be it further
 9      RESOLVED, That the study examine practices of the other 49
10   states to determine how they protect their critical
11   infrastructure assets and adjacent lands, identify best
12   practices from the 49 states and determine the feasibility of
13   implementing best practices in this Commonwealth; and be it
14   further
15      RESOLVED, That the study examine CFIUS, including how it
16   operates and whether the creation of a similar process in this
17   Commonwealth would be beneficial in protecting the critical
18   infrastructure assets and adjacent land of this Commonwealth;
19   and be it further
20      RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission be
21   authorized to request information that is not protected from
22   disclosure from Commonwealth agencies, authorities, commissions
23   and departments for the study on behalf of the House of
24   Representatives; and be it further
25      RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission issue a
26   report of its findings and recommendations and submit the report
27   to the General Assembly no later than 24 months after the
28   adoption of this resolution.




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