Peoria Standard

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) has emphasized the crucial role of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in combatting threats from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). At a recent House Select Committee hearing on the CCP Cyber Threat to the American Homeland and National Security, LaHood questioned FBI Director Christopher Wray and General Paul Nakasone, the Commander of U.S. Cyber Command and Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), about the impact of Section 702 on countering CCP cyber threats.

LaHood, who serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, has been leading the committee's efforts to reform and reauthorize Section 702 of FISA. In his opening remarks, he highlighted the existential importance of Section 702 in safeguarding national security: "Section 702 is a crucial tool for providing the U.S. with the ability to target foreign people overseas to gather information that allows us to protect our citizens both abroad and here at home."

During the hearing, FBI Director Wray provided a specific example of how Section 702 was instrumental in thwarting PRC cyber threats: "We were able to identify PRC state-sponsored cyber actors taking initial steps to access a particular U.S. transportation hub. We were able to quickly notify the entity and share technical details, which enabled them to kick the Chinese off the networks before harm could be done."

General Nakasone, who was at the Pentagon on 9/11, expressed his disbelief at the idea of returning to a time before Section 702: "To consider that we would return to the days before Section 702, where we couldn't connect the dots is almost inexplicable." He emphasized the significance of Section 702 in preventing the flow of deadly fentanyl from China into American communities: "702 allows us to identify those precursors and that saves lives."

The impact of Section 702 extends beyond countering cyber threats. It plays a critical role in stopping the flow of lethal fentanyl into the United States. LaHood highlighted this aspect by stating, "702 is so agile, that it provides us an ability to see the Chinese precursor chemicals that are being used to feed fentanyl, which is the scourge of our nation. 100,000 Americans lost their lives in 2022 from fentanyl."

The testimonies from Director Wray and General Nakasone underscore the vital importance of Section 702 in protecting national security and saving lives. As the debate surrounding the reauthorization and reform of Section 702 continues, it is clear that this provision is an essential tool in combatting the cyber threats posed by the CCP.