Rep. Bacon warns CISA cuts weaken U.S. cyber defenses

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies and Information Systems, urged Congress and the Pentagon to move beyond what he called "innovation theater" and accelerate investments in cybersecurity, electronic warfare and emerging technologies to counter growing threats from China and Russia.

Speaking at a June 10, 2026, cybersecurity event for the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT), Bacon said the Defense Department has spent too much time producing studies and presentations rather than fielding new capabilities. While he acknowledged budget constraints, he argued that Pentagon culture has also slowed progress.

"PowerPoint is not capability," Bacon said, describing years of repeated studies on cyber, artificial intelligence and electronic warfare without corresponding operational results.

Bacon said authoritarian governments such as China can make decisions more quickly, but argued the United States retains advantages through its free-market economy, entrepreneurial culture and ability to incorporate public feedback. He said America's technology edge depends on better leveraging private-sector innovation rather than relying solely on government-led development.

The congressman expressed concern about cyber threats targeting U.S. critical infrastructure, including energy, healthcare, finance and agriculture. He said China and Russia continue to attack those sectors daily and stressed the importance of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in helping organizations defend themselves through threat guidance, patch management and incident response resources.

Bacon, who said he sponsored legislation that established CISA's current role protecting civilian critical infrastructure, warned the agency has been weakened by staffing reductions. He argued the United States needs a fully staffed and effective CISA to respond to persistent cyber threats.

The retired Air Force brigadier general also highlighted concerns about electronic warfare, saying the U.S. allowed key capabilities to erode after the Cold War before Congress intervened to rebuild leadership, funding and strategy. He warned that adversaries can use electronic warfare to disrupt GPS, communications and other systems relied upon by both the military and private sector.

Bacon also called for increased investment in advanced technologies, including quantum computing, AI and resilient nuclear command-and-control systems, arguing the United States faces strategic threats comparable to those of the Cold War.

Looking ahead, Bacon said one of Washington's biggest challenges is adapting government acquisition processes to an era in which technological innovation is driven primarily by the private sector. Congress and the Defense Department, he said, must find faster ways to connect commercial capabilities with military requirements.