Troy E. Nehls

05/28/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/28/2026 15:04

Rep. Troy E. Nehls Leads Republican Colleagues in Urging Proactive Action Against Cyberattacks Shutting Down American Hospitals, Applauding FBI’s Ongoing Work to Combat Threats

WASHINGTON, D.C. -Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22) led a group of House Republicans, including Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX-11), in sending a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel, urging action against criminal networks targeting America's healthcare system, and applauding the FBI's recent actions to address the growing threats that target our healthcare infrastructure.

"For decades, our healthcare infrastructure has been under attack," said Congressman Nehls. "We must do everything in our power to protect our hospital systems and healthcare providers from cyberattacks, which jeopardize patients' lives and cost healthcare systems millions of dollars. I'm proud to lead a letter to FBI Director Patel, applauding his recent actions to address the growing threats that target our healthcare infrastructure, and urging him to deploy every tool available to combat cyberattacks from criminal organizations."

Cosigners of the letter include Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX-11), Congressman John Moolenaar (R-MI-02), Congressman Lance Gooden (R-TX-05), Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ-02), Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Congresswoman Sherri Biggs (R-SC-03), Congressman Aaron Bean (R-FL-04), Congressman Brian Babin (R-TX-36), and Congressman Pat Fallon (R-TX-04).

Read the full letter HEREor below:

Dear Director Patel:

We write to commend you and the dedicated professionals of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for your continued leadership in addressing the growing and increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity threats targeting our nation's critical health care infrastructure.
Over the past three decades, cyberattacks against hospital systems and health care providers have evolved from isolated incidents into a persistent and escalating national security concern. According to data from the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and industry stakeholders:
  • Since federal breach reporting requirements were established in 2009, more than 5,000 major health care data breaches have been reported, affecting over 500 million patient records.
  • The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has consistently identified health care as one of the sectors most heavily targeted by ransomware attacks, with hundreds of incidents reported annually in recent years.
  • In 2023 alone, more than 700 health care data breaches affecting 500 or more individuals were reported-the highest number on record up to that point.
  • Ransomware incidents reported to the FBI increased dramatically over the last decade, rising from fewer than 200 total ransomware complaints across all sectors in 2015 to more than 2,800 complaints in 2023.
  • Over the last 30 years, cyber incidents affecting hospitals have grown from sporadic cases in the 1990s to routine, large-scale attacks impacting hundreds of health systems annually, reflecting the digitization of health records and the rise of organized cybercrime.
These attacks are not victimless crimes. As the American Hospital Association has documented, cyberattacks on hospitals can force system shutdowns, delay surgeries and emergency care, divert ambulances, and jeopardize patient safety, while costing health systems millions of dollars per incident.
We particularly appreciate the FBI's proactive approach to combating these threats, including efforts to disrupt transnational ransomware networks-many of which operate as "ransomware-as-a-service" enterprises with safe haven abroad-and to move beyond reactive enforcement toward prevention and early intervention.
We also recognize the importance of your recent call for enhanced information-sharing between health care providers and federal law enforcement. Timely and transparent sharing of cyber threat intelligence is essential to identifying vulnerabilities, mitigating attacks before they occur, and protecting both patient safety and national security.
To that end, we strongly encourage continued collaboration between the FBI and health care stakeholders, including through public-private partnerships, streamlined reporting mechanisms, and clear guidance that enables hospitals-large and small-to participate effectively in information-sharing initiatives without undue burden.
As Members of Congress, we remain committed to supporting policies and resources that strengthen cybersecurity resilience across the health care sector, enhance interagency coordination, and hold malicious actors accountable.
Thank you again for your leadership and for the vital work of the FBI in safeguarding our nation's health care systems. We look forward to continued partnership in addressing this critical challenge.
Troy E. Nehls published this content on May 28, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 28, 2026 at 21:04 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]