U.S. Representative Don Bacon (R-NE), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation, delivered the following opening statement at the full committee markup for H.R. 8070, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement Act and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25).
Rep. Bacon's remarks as prepared for delivery:
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
And thank you for the opportunity to lead the Cyber, IT, and Innovation Subcommittee. I am looking forward to working with Ranking Member Khanna and the other members of the subcommittee to advance and conduct oversight of the Department of Defense's cyber and innovation ecosystems for the remainder of this Congress.
This subcommittee is charged with a vital mission – to ensure our warfighters are equipped with the most modern, innovative technologies and solutions to deter and defeat our adversaries.
From the battlefield to cyberspace, we must ensure our military is ready to compete and win across the spectrum of conflict in all warfighting domains, now and in the future. The vital work of this subcommittee is foundational to our national defense, and I am eager to continue this mission as the full committee considers the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act.
The FY25 Cyber, IT, and Innovation Subcommittee print prioritizes cybersecurity and resources the United States offensive cyber posture. It contains the tools necessary to support innovative efforts like the Marine Corps' Cyber Auxiliary and addresses emergent cyber threats to mobile devices.
In addition, this package promotes needed research and development and policy reforms for critical technology areas including quantum, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and more. The groundwork laid in these technology areas today will allow the United States to maintain our strategic advantage and technological edge over our adversaries like China and prevent strategic surprise in the future.
The subcommittee print also includes reforms to overhaul DOD bureaucracy. DOD's procedures and processes are often slow and time intensive, which stifles innovation and prevents the DOD from rapidly integrating new capabilities at the speed and scale necessary to make an impact. This subcommittee print includes a provision that will reform the Department's Authority to Operate process and allow for more rapid integration of software solutions across the joint force.
The print also establishes a new test and evaluation pipeline within the Defense Innovation Unit to facilitate more iterative and early testing of commercial, dual use technologies.
Ultimately, this subcommittee print makes strides in developing the needed technologies to deter Chinese aggression and ensure that the United States remains the most lethal fighting force in the world.
I want to thank all committee members for their thoughtful engagement on these critical issues – this is a successful mark and I encourage your support.
