H. Res. 993
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
November 14, 2006.
Whereas over 205,000,000 Americans use the Internet in the 
United States, including more than 84,000,000 home-
users through broadband connections, to communicate 
with family and friends, manage their finances, pay their 
bills, improve their education, shop at home, and read 
about current events; 
Whereas the approximately 26,000,000 small businesses in 
the United States, who represent 99.7 percent of all 
United States employers and employ 50 percent of the 
private work force, increasingly rely on the Internet to 
manage their businesses, expand their customer reach, 
and enhance their connection with their supply chain; 
Whereas according to the Department of Education, nearly 
100 percent of public schools in the United States have 
Internet access, with approximately 93 percent of instruc-
tional rooms connected to the Internet, to enhance our 
children’s education by providing access to educational 
online content and encouraging responsible self-initiative 
to discover research resources; 
Whereas according to the Pew Institute, almost 9 in 10 teen-
agers between the ages of 12 and 17, or 87 percent of 
all youth (approximately 21,000,000 people) use the
•HRES 993 EH 
Internet, and 78 percent (or about 16,000,000 students) 
say they use the Internet at school; 
Whereas teen use of the Internet at school has grown 45 per-
cent since 2000, and educating children of all ages about 
safe, secure, and ethical practices will not only protect 
their systems, but will protect our children’s physical 
safety, and help them become good cyber citizens; 
Whereas the growth and popularity of social networking 
websites have attracted millions of teenagers, providing 
them with a range of valuable services, teens must be 
taught how to avoid potential threats like cyber bullies, 
predators and identity thieves they may come across 
while using such services; 
Whereas our Nation’s critical infrastructures rely on the se-
cure and reliable operation of our information networks 
to support our Nation’s financial services, energy, tele-
communications, transportation, health care, and emer-
gency response systems; 
Whereas cyber security is a critical part of our Nation’s over-
all homeland security, in particular the control systems 
that control and monitor our drinking water, dams, and 
other water management systems; our electricity grids, 
oil and gas supplies, and pipeline distribution networks; 
our transportation systems; and other critical manufac-
turing processes; 
Whereas terrorists and others with malicious motives have 
demonstrated an interest in utilizing cyber means to at-
tack our Nation, and the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity’s mission includes securing the homeland against 
cyber terrorism and other attacks;
•HRES 993 EH 
Whereas Internet users and our information infrastructure 
face an increasing threat of malicious attacks through vi-
ruses, worms, Trojans, and unwanted programs such as 
spyware, adware, hacking tools, and password stealers, 
that are frequent and fast in propagation, are costly to 
repair, and disable entire systems; 
Whereas according to Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, since 
February 2005, over 90 million records containing per-
sonally-identifiable information have been breached, and 
the overall increase in serious data breaches in both the 
private and public sectors are threatening the security 
and well-being of United States citizens; 
Whereas consumers face significant financial and personal 
privacy losses due to identity theft and fraud, as reported 
in over 686,000 complaints in 2005 to the Federal Trade 
Commission’s Consumer Sentinel database; and Internet-
related complaints in 2005 accounted for 46 percent of 
all reported fraud complaints, with monetary losses of 
over $680,000,000 and a median loss of $350; 
Whereas our Nation’s youth face increasing threats online 
such as inappropriate content or child predators, accord-
ing to the National Center for Missing and Exploited 
Children 34 percent of teens are exposed to unwanted 
sexually explicit material on the Internet, and with one 
in seven children having been approached by a child pred-
ator online each year; 
Whereas national organizations, policymakers, government 
agencies, private sector companies, nonprofit institutions, 
schools, academic organizations, consumers, and the 
media recognize the need to increase awareness of com-
puter security and enhance our level of computer and na-
tional security in the United States;
•HRES 993 EH 
Whereas the National Cyber Security Alliance’s mission is to 
increase awareness of cyber security practices and tech-
nologies to home users, students, teachers, and small 
businesses through educational activities, online resources 
and checklists, and Public Service Announcements; and 
Whereas the National Cyber Security Alliance has designated 
October as National Cyber Security Awareness Month, 
which will provide an opportunity to educate the people 
of the United States about computer security: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) supports the goals and ideals of National Cyber 
Security Awareness Month; and 
(2) will work with Federal agencies, national orga-
nizations, businesses, and educational institutions to en-
courage the development and implementation of existing 
and future computer security voluntary consensus stand-
ards, practices, and technologies in order to enhance the 
state of computer security in the United States. 
Attest:
Clerk.