Committee advances bill to screen foreign adversary interests in critical infrastructure; Homeland Security warns of resource needs
January 16, 2025 | Appropriations Committee, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Wyoming
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
The Appropriations Committee voted to advance Senate File 76, legislation intended to identify and address potential foreign‑adversary interests in designated critical infrastructure. Committee testimony emphasized national‑security implications and significant implementation requirements for state agencies.
Lynn Budd, director of the Office of Homeland Security, told the committee that the office is already developing critical‑infrastructure zones for lifeline sectors (energy, communications, water and wastewater) under last year’s statutes but that the bill’s tasks are large and will require careful handling of sensitive information. Budd said the office and county clerks have discussed reversing the current data flow so the Homeland Security office securely receives and compares county conveyance records against defined critical‑infrastructure zones; that approach would centralize the sensitive critical‑infrastructure location data in a state system rather than dispersing it to clerks’ offices. Budd said the state lacks current capacity to perform the bill’s full set of tasks and recommended additional staffing and software resources if the Legislature intends to implement the proposal.
Committee members and witnesses identified multiple practical challenges: determining beneficial ownership when purchasers use shell companies; a lack of routine information sharing with the federal Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS); and the difficulty of detecting ongoing federal investigations. Budd said the state has identified some existing concerns and has already addressed certain risks but lacks the specialized technical resources and data feeds to perform automated screening and investigations at scale. She estimated the workload would require a dedicated team; the bill as drafted provided for two additional positions but Homeland Security said that would likely be insufficient.
Industry testimony supported tailoring the bill’s language to focus on actual risks and to avoid overbroad definitions that could sweep in legitimate foreign business partners. Travis Detaime of the Wyoming Mining Association urged precision to avoid unintended consequences for longstanding, law‑abiding foreign‑owned businesses that provide jobs and revenue in the state.
Committee members discussed the national‑security importance of protecting missile‑base and energy infrastructure in southeastern Wyoming, including facilities that support F.E. Warren Air Force Base. Senators urged confidential briefings from Homeland Security so newer members could better understand the scope and sensitivity of threats. The committee recorded a 5-0 roll call in favor of passage to the floor.
Votes at a glance
- Committee vote on Senate File 76 final: Senators Driscoll, Garou, Larson, Smith and Chairman Salazar — Aye (5 ayes).
Lynn Budd, director of the Office of Homeland Security, told the committee that the office is already developing critical‑infrastructure zones for lifeline sectors (energy, communications, water and wastewater) under last year’s statutes but that the bill’s tasks are large and will require careful handling of sensitive information. Budd said the office and county clerks have discussed reversing the current data flow so the Homeland Security office securely receives and compares county conveyance records against defined critical‑infrastructure zones; that approach would centralize the sensitive critical‑infrastructure location data in a state system rather than dispersing it to clerks’ offices. Budd said the state lacks current capacity to perform the bill’s full set of tasks and recommended additional staffing and software resources if the Legislature intends to implement the proposal.
Committee members and witnesses identified multiple practical challenges: determining beneficial ownership when purchasers use shell companies; a lack of routine information sharing with the federal Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS); and the difficulty of detecting ongoing federal investigations. Budd said the state has identified some existing concerns and has already addressed certain risks but lacks the specialized technical resources and data feeds to perform automated screening and investigations at scale. She estimated the workload would require a dedicated team; the bill as drafted provided for two additional positions but Homeland Security said that would likely be insufficient.
Industry testimony supported tailoring the bill’s language to focus on actual risks and to avoid overbroad definitions that could sweep in legitimate foreign business partners. Travis Detaime of the Wyoming Mining Association urged precision to avoid unintended consequences for longstanding, law‑abiding foreign‑owned businesses that provide jobs and revenue in the state.
Committee members discussed the national‑security importance of protecting missile‑base and energy infrastructure in southeastern Wyoming, including facilities that support F.E. Warren Air Force Base. Senators urged confidential briefings from Homeland Security so newer members could better understand the scope and sensitivity of threats. The committee recorded a 5-0 roll call in favor of passage to the floor.
Votes at a glance
- Committee vote on Senate File 76 final: Senators Driscoll, Garou, Larson, Smith and Chairman Salazar — Aye (5 ayes).
View full meeting
This article is based on a recent meeting—watch the full video and explore the complete transcript for deeper insights into the discussion.
View full meeting