The inclusion of this provision, championed by Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation, comes at a time when US-China tensions are escalating as China increasingly positions Taiwan as a renegade province that, if need be, should be retaken by force. The US government doesn’t recognize Taiwan as a country but has made clear it would defend Taiwan if China invades.
“We are in the window of maximum danger when it comes to a potential conflict with China over Taiwan,” Gallagher said. “If we are to deter Xi Jinping and prevent the devastating consequences of war, Congress must come together in bipartisan fashion to combat the Chinese Communist Party’s aggression and ensure that the US military has what it needs to deter, and if necessary, fight and win in the 21st century.”
GAO review of cyberspace operations management
Sec. 1533 of the NDAA directs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a comprehensive review of the management by the Secretary of Defense of matters relating to the conduct of, and preparation for, cyberspace operations. The Comptroller is assigned the task of evaluating and assessing the number of commands, organizations, units, and personnel (including an identification of the rank and grade) responsible for conducting cyberspace operations across the Department of Defense to assess the ratio of qualified personnel, assessing potential duplication and costs across the operations and the extent to which senior officials accountable to the Secretary of Defense are overseeing operations.
Study on the Occupational Resiliency of Cyber Mission Force
In a bid to address burnout in the military’s Cyber Mission Force, Sec. 1534 of the NDAA directs the Principal Cyber Advisor of the Department of Defense and the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to conduct a study on the personnel and resources required to enhance and support the occupational resiliency of the Cyber Mission Force.
To be conducted in coordination with the principal cyber advisors of the military departments and the Commander of Cybercom, the study will take an inventory of how many personnel are in the Mission Force and assess the risk to the occupational resiliency of such personnel relative to their respective operational work roles.
The study will also evaluate the extent to which personnel assigned to the Cyber Mission Force have been made aware of the resources and programs and outline measures required to improve awareness. The Principal Cyber Advisor of the Department of Defense and the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness will submit a report to Congress on the study when it’s completed.
