Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Chairman Andy Ogles (R-TN) has scheduled a hearing for January 13, 2026, to discuss ways the United States can improve its offensive cyber operations as part of national security. The session will address the changing roles of federal agencies and private companies in this area.
The hearing comes amid growing concerns about foreign threats from countries such as China, Russia, and Iran. These nations have been increasing their efforts to target U.S. networks and infrastructure with more advanced cyber campaigns. The focus of the hearing will be on how government agencies and industry partners can better define responsibilities, coordinate actions, and strengthen capabilities to disrupt these threats.
"Cyberspace is a battlefield, and our adversaries, like Communist China, will stop at nothing to gain the upper hand. We must leverage every strategic and technological tool at our disposal to defend the homeland, protect Americans, and deter sophisticated cyber adversaries," said Chairman Ogles. "I look forward to examining the future of cyber offense and how Congress can help federal agencies advance our cyber capabilities in partnership with the private sector."
The hearing, titled “Defense through Offense: Examining U.S. Cyber Capabilities to Deter and Disrupt Malign Foreign Activity Targeting the Homeland,” will take place at 10:00 am EST in room 310 of the Cannon House Office Building. Witnesses are by invitation only; details will be announced later. The event is open to both the public and press—press attendees must have congressional credentials and should RSVP ahead of time—and will also be livestreamed on YouTube.
In December 2025, Chairmen Ogles and Josh Brecheen (R-OK) held a joint subcommittee hearing focused on risks from emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and large-scale cloud infrastructure. They discussed how these tools could be used by foreign actors but also leveraged by the U.S. for defense.
Following that hearing, Chairmen Ogles, Brecheen, and House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY) requested testimony from Anthropic, Google, and Quantum Xchange after Anthropic reported that a Chinese state-sponsored actor used its AI systems for an autonomous cyber espionage campaign.
In November 2025, two cybersecurity bills led by Chairman Ogles passed in the House: H.R. 5078—the PILLAR Act—reauthorizes funding for DHS’s State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program with support from both industry groups and government entities; H.R. 2659 establishes an interagency task force targeting cybersecurity threats linked to Chinese state actors.
During Cybersecurity Awareness Month last year, Chairman Garbarino wrote an op-ed urging stronger collaboration between public agencies and private firms to counter nation-state cyber threats including those from China, Russia, and Iran.
