Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Chuck DeVore, Chief National Initiatives Officer for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, testifies before the Texas House Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs on protecting Texas critical infrastructure from foreign adversaries. DeVore identifies three broad threat categories facing the state's grid, energy, water, and port systems: natural disasters including extreme solar storms, great power conflict centered on a potential Taiwan contingency involving China, and terrorism.
He argues that great power conflict poses the most significant risk, pointing to Chinese state-linked cyber groups already positioned inside U.S. communications, energy, transportation, and water systems, along with the possibility of physical sabotage or drone attacks staged from Mexican territory. DeVore calls for expanded intelligence fusion, monitoring of foreign investment and land purchases near sensitive sites, and stronger detection of potential sabotage teams, while cautioning that neither Texas nor the federal government can fully prevent a large-scale attack on the grid.
He recommends the state prioritize rapid-recovery capacity, including stockpiles of components like large power transformers, distributed microgrids, and regular joint disaster-and-attack exercises, and argues that the $1 million fine under the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act is insufficient as a deterrent against state-directed actors.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s mission is to promote and defend liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise in Texas and the nation by educating and affecting policymakers and the Texas public policy debate with academically sound research and outreach.
Funded by thousands of individuals, foundations, and corporations, the Foundation does not accept government funds or contributions to influence the outcomes of its research.
The public is demanding a different direction for their government, and the Texas Public Policy Foundation is providing the ideas that enable policymakers to chart that new course.
Website: texaspolicy.com
X: twitter.com/tppf
Facebook: facebook.com/texaspolicy
Instagram: instagram.com/texaspolicy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/texas-public-policy-foundation
Chuck DeVore, Chief National Initiatives Officer for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, testifies before the Texas House Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs on protecting Texas critical infrastructure from foreign adversaries. DeVore identifies three broad threat categories facing the state's grid, energy, water, and port systems: natural disasters including extreme solar storms, great power conflict centered on a potential Taiwan contingency involving China, and terrorism.
He argues that great power conflict poses the most significant risk, pointing to Chinese state-linked cyber groups already positioned inside U.S. communications, energy, transportation, and water systems, along with the possibility of physical sabotage or drone attacks staged from Mexican territory. DeVore calls for expanded intelligence fusion, monitoring of foreign investment and land purchases near sensitive sites, and stronger detection of potential sabotage teams, while cautioning that neither Texas nor the federal government can fully prevent a large-scale attack on the grid.
He recommends the state prioritize rapid-recovery capacity, including stockpiles of components like large power transformers, distributed microgrids, and regular joint disaster-and-attack exercises, and argues that the $1 million fine under the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act is insufficient as a deterrent against state-directed actors.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s mission is to promote and defend liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise in Texas and the nation by educating and affecting policymakers and the Texas public policy debate with academically sound research and outreach.
Funded by thousands of individuals, foundations, and corporations, the Foundation does not accept government funds or contributions to influence the outcomes of its research.
The public is demanding a different direction for their government, and the Texas Public Policy Foundation is providing the ideas that enable policymakers to chart that new course.
Website: texaspolicy.com
X: twitter.com/tppf
Facebook: facebook.com/texaspolicy
Instagram: instagram.com/texaspolicy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/texas-public-policy-foundation
