WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Chairman of the Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee, today held a hearing on what the US is doing to defend itself in a digital era and on the Department of Defense’s priorities for digital modernization and transformation, artificial intelligence, information technology, and cybersecurity.
The hearing featured testimony from the Department’s Chief Information Officer and its inaugural Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, who discussed how the Department is developing enterprise-wide digitization and data security solutions, the CDAO’s relationship to other components of the Department—namely the Combatant Commands, and efforts with the military services.
Watch Rep. Gallagher’s opening statement HERE, or read his remarks at the hearing, as prepared for delivery, below:
Good morning, and welcome to our CITI hearing on “Defense in a Digital Era: Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology, and Securing the Department of Defense.” A reminder of the three CITI commandments: (1) we shall start on time; (2) five minutes shall be five minutes; (3) thou shalt not use acronyms nor jargon. Simple and direct language that normal Americans can understand
We are joined today by the Department’s Chief Information Officer, Mr. John Sherman, and the inaugural Chief Digital & Artificial Intelligence Officer, Dr. Craig Martell. I welcome both of you, and especially Dr. Martell in his first appearance with the House Armed Services Committee. You both have very important jobs, and our job is to ensure you do your jobs well.
To underscore the stakes, I’d like to quote a recent report from our friends at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute: “research reveals that China has built the foundations to position itself as the world’s leading science and technology superpower, by establishing a sometimes stunning lead in high-impact research across the majority of critical and emerging technology domains…[including] artificial intelligence (AI)…and key quantum technology areas.…In the long term, China’s leading research position means that it has set itself up to excel not just in current technological development in almost all sectors, but in future technologies that don’t yet exist. Unchecked, this could shift not just technological development and control but global power and influence to an authoritarian state where the development, testing and application of emerging, critical and military technologies isn’t open and transparent and where it can’t be scrutinised by independent civil society and media. In the more immediate term, that lead…could allow China to gain a stranglehold on the global supply of certain critical technologies. Such risks are exacerbated because of the willingness of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to use coercive techniques outside of the global rules-based order to punish governments and businesses, including withholding the supply of critical technologies.
Gentlemen, I’m concerned we’re losing in key areas of this strategic competition and I’d prefer to win. As we say in Green Bay: winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. That’s especially true when the fate of the Free World is at stake. So I look forward to our witnesses telling us how we fight smarter and win.
