Leaders of the House Homeland Security Committee’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee will soon travel overseas for meetings on cybersecurity subjects as part of an official congressional delegation (CODEL).
Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., chairman of the Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Innovation Subcommittee, said he and Ranking Member Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., will both be going on the cybersecurity CODEL “soon.”
“I can’t say where we’re going to, but we are going overseas, and we are going to have some very important visits while we’re over there,” Chairman Garbarino said during an Axios event on June 12.
A CODEL allows lawmakers to travel to meet with foreign officials and experts on a variety of topics – such as cybersecurity – forming connections and gathering information that can help shape future policy.
During a CODEL, members of Congress often spend more time together than they typically do on the Hill each week. However, Chairman Garbarino said he and Ranking Member Swalwell are “working very well together” this Congress and are also “working on other legislation together.”
“This year, I’m working very well with Ranking Member Swalwell,” Chairman Garbarino said. “In cybersecurity … a hack doesn’t care if you’re Republican or Democrat. They’re just going in for the information, so it’s going to hit us all the same way whether you’re Republican or Democrat. This is something that both sides are heavily focused on and we are working very well together.”
Although it’s unclear if other committee members will be joining the CODEL, Rep. Garbarino said he and Rep. Swalwell are also working on bipartisan cybersecurity site visits and training for committee members.
