U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Chairman of the Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee, delivered the following opening statement at the full committee markup for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024.
Rep. Gallagher's remarks as prepared for delivery:
The more time it takes to accept that we find ourselves amid a New Cold War, the hotter the tension and conflicts become. Both the action and the inaction we take today and over the next two years will have lasting repercussions on our national security—and American influence as we know it.
The Chinese Communist Party is targeting our military systems and bases, critical infrastructure, and citizens in the cyber domain, and the People's Liberation Army and Navy are advancing technology and quantities of military weaponry at a scale we fail to meet at present.
The Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation mark that we present today strengthen our cyber defense and modernizes how the Department thinks about fielding advanced technology in two months rather than two to ten years. The mark focuses the Department of Defense on integrating commercial technology at scale, rather than simply developing it, improves their cybersecurity posture through better visibility into networks and endpoints, develops metrics to measure the Department's success at transitioning technologies, and hardens academic research security from intellectual property thieves, like the Chinese Communist Party.
To remain ahead of the CCP, all of these are necessary, however more must be done. This is why I am offering an amendment to formally codify the Defense Innovation Unit and develop an enterprise focused on fielding and operationalizing technologies, not just creating them. DIU has proven to be one of the most successful organizations at bringing private sector innovation and speed into the hands of the warfighter, and by codifying and elevating DIU, we further empower them to improve and scale their work. Additionally, I am offering an amendment with Rep. Houlahan that strengthens Taiwan cybersecurity resiliency and our military partnership with the Taiwanese. I am proud of the work that this subcommittee has done this year, and we will continue it in the weeks and months to come. Thank you to Ranking Member Khanna, and all the members of this subcommittee for your contributions to this mark. The provisions in it are a reflection the ideas and work that each of you brought to the process.
