Congressman Cleaver Concerned Iran Could Launch Cyberattacks On U.S. Financial Institutions

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, is calling on financial regulators to strengthen protections against a possible cyberattack from Iran. 

In a letter Wednesday to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Cleaver urged the department to "take all possible precautions" to protect the country's financial infrastructure.

This comes in the wake of Iran firing ballistic missiles Tuesday night at bases in Iraq that housed U.S. troops as retaliation for the American assassination of Qasem Soleimani.

Cleaver and Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y, both members of the House Financial Services Committee, signed the letter.

They requested that financial regulators work closely with law enforcement and "increase sharing of appropriate cyber threat information." They also requested that Mnuchin report back to Congress by March.

Cleaver's letter was sent before President Trump's statement Wednesday morning on the missile attacks. “Iran appears to be standing down which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world,” Trump said.

Cleaver tweeted Wednesday afternoon that he was thankful no Americans died in the attacks. "War is not inevitable, and we must not fool ourselves into thinking otherwise," his Tweet continued.

Other local members of Congress also responded on social media.

"Strong, measured remarks on Iran from @realDonaldTrump just now. The US will defend itself when attacked and will never permit Iran to get a nuclear weapon," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., tweeted after Trump's statement.

Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, in a tweet called on Iran to work on developing a "peaceful relationship" with the U.S.

Sam Zeff is KCUR's metro reporter. You can follow Sam on Twitter @samzeff