Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation

The Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation is a specialized division of the House Armed Services Committee created to provide focused oversight of Department of Defense technology and cybersecurity matters. As a subcommittee, it conducts initial hearings and reviews legislation before the full committee, which retains authority to report bills to the House floor. The subcommittee was established to allow lawmakers to concentrate on rapidly advancing defense technologies that require dedicated attention separate from broader military policy.

The subcommittee's jurisdiction covers a specific slice of defense policy: Department of Defense acquisition of computer software, electromagnetic spectrum management, electromagnetic warfare, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cyber operations, cyber forces, information technology, information operations, and defense research and development in science and technology. This focused mandate reflects Congress's recognition that technology advances at a pace requiring specialized oversight distinct from traditional military readiness and strategy.

Chairman Don Bacon (R-NE) and Ranking Member Ro Khanna (D-CA) lead the 19-member panel. Recent hearings have examined the Pentagon's cyber posture for fiscal year 2026, the Department of Defense's information technology and artificial intelligence capabilities, and military cybersecurity readiness. These hearings underscore the subcommittee's role in ensuring the armed forces maintain technological superiority amid evolving threats from adversaries employing advanced cyber capabilities.