Rep. Demings Statement on Colonial Pipeline Arrests

ORLANDO, FL - Rep. Val Demings (FL-10) today released a statement onnewsthat hackers responsible for the Colonial Pipeline, JBS Foods, and Kaseya ransomware attacks (the "REvil" ransomware gang) had been arrested.Said Rep. Demings, "Russian criminals and Vladimir Putin do not get to dictate the global supply chain. As a law enforcement officer for 27 years, I know that today's arrests after pressure by U.S. officials are a good start to hold international criminal hackers accountable and prevent future disruptions to our energy and food supply. Floridians are experiencing disturbing disruptions to the basics of daily life, from groceries to gas. I repeat my call for the administration to take aggressive action to addressrecordsetting exportsof American-made gasoline,unprecedented constraintsby foreign oil producers, and apparentprice manipulationin the oil and gas market.

"My parents, a maid and janitor, knew that every dollar mattered, and the price of gas has a direct impact on our ability to make ends meet. Florida families need further relief at the pump. The administration should move to limit oil and gasoline exports to further reduce prices for Americans, and continue to crack down on foreign criminals who target American supply chains. Today's good news should not be the end of our work."

Background

Rep. Demings previouslywroteto National Economic Council Director Brian Deese and U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm asking for immediate action to reduce gas prices for Florida families, including calling on President Biden to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and to pressure OPEC+ countries to immediately increase their monthly oil output. The administrationdidboth.

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