Cybersecurity

Washington, D.C. (April 29 2025)—Below is Ranking Member Shontel Brown’s opening statement, as prepared for delivery, at today’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation hearing on modernizing federal IT systems.  

Washington, D.C. (April 17, 2025)—After obtaining multiple credible and disturbing whistleblower reports that DOGE is knowingly jeopardizing Social Security Administration (SSA) operations, putting Americans’ Social Security benefits at risk of delay, and compiling a “master database” of Americans’ most sensitive data that risks exposure and exfiltration, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Michelle L. Anderson, the Assistant Inspector General for Audit Performing the Duties of the Inspector General at the Social Security Administration (SSA), demanding an immediate investigation to stop further damage to the agency and prevent a disruption in benefits payments and/or massive and unprecedented data breach stemming directly from DOGE’s actions.

Washington, D.C. (April 3, 2025)—The Department of Defense (DoD) Acting Inspector General Stebbins has informed the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that the DoD Office of the Inspector General (OIG) will be investigating Defense Secretary Hegseth’s use of Signal following calls from Ranking Member Gerald E. Connolly and the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Washington, D.C. (April 2, 2025)— Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent letters to Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard requesting documents and information regarding the Trump Administration officials’ violation of federal law by failing to preserve the communications exchanged in the now-infamous March 15, 2025, Signal chat that included likely classified national security information. 

Washington, D.C. (April 2, 2025)— Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Military and Foreign Affairs, led Subcommittee Democrats in rebuking the Trump Administration’s use of an insecure phone app and personal Gmail accounts to share likely classified and highly sensitive information. 

Washington, D.C. (April 1, 2025)— Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent letters to non-principal agency officials involved in the unsecured Signal group chat in which senior Trump Administration officials discussed highly sensitive, likely classified plans for a military operation in Yemen using unapproved and unlawful communication methods, unknowingly included The Atlantic reporter Jeffrey Goldberg in those discussions, and endangered the lives of American servicemembers involved in the operation.

Washington, D.C. (March 27, 2025)— Today, Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Congressman Pat Fallon (R-TX), Congresswoman April McClain Delaney (D-MD), and Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, introduced the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets (SAMOSA) Act.