The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted on March 4 to approve a bill that would require Senate confirmation for an assistant secretary position at the Department of Energy (DOE) to lead the agency’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER).
CESER heads up DOE’s efforts to strengthen the security and resilience of the U.S. energy “against all threats and hazards,” and it functions as the government’s sector risk management agency for the energy sector.
The committee approved the Energy Emergency Leadership Act by a vote of 50-0, sending the measure to the full House for further consideration.
The bill was introduced in January by Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Fla.
“The legislation ensures the Department of Energy is better positioned to respond, coordinate, and remain accountable to Congress,” Lee’s office said when she introduced the measure.
“America’s electric grid is essential to our economy, our national security, and our daily lives,” she said.
“As our energy infrastructure becomes more interconnected and digitized, the risks we face are growing,” the member of Congress said, adding, “The Energy Emergency Leadership Act ensures the Department of Energy treats grid security as the top-tier priority it must be, with clear leadership, stronger coordination, and accountability to Congress.”
According to Lee’s office, the new CESER assistant secretary position proposed by the bill “would provide technical assistance to state, local, and tribal governments to help prevent and respond to energy security threats – strengthening coordination across all levels of government and with federal partners.”