WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, the House Committee on Homeland Security announced a field hearing for Wednesday, May 28, at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, in which members will examine issues impacting the U.S. cybersecurity posture and solutions to address them, including around critical infrastructure resilience, technological innovation, and regulatory harmonization. Witnesses will include representatives from Google and Palo Alto Networks, as well as former national security advisor and retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster. In addition to the field hearing, the Committee will host a breakout discussion with members, cybersecurity stakeholders, and researchers, which will be closed to press.

Read more in Axios via Sam Sabin.

“Whether we are discussing the recent China-backed ‘Typhoon’ attacks or the global IT outage of last July, it is clear that what happens in cyberspace affects our daily lives. Cyber threats to U.S. networks and critical infrastructure from nation-state and criminal actors are increasing in frequency, impact, and sophistication, so we can’t expect the private sector, or states and localities, to combat these threats entirely on their own,” Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) said. “To get a closer look at where we are and where we’re headed in cyberspace, the House Homeland Security Committee is headed to the tech capital of America––and the world––to hear from innovators, job creators, and academics. We must work together to flip the economic models of cybersecurity, deter malicious actors, bolster the number and better equip our cyber defenders, and find ways to harmonize the federal government’s burdensome cyber regulatory regime. Feedback through these meetings and testimony will help us work closely with the Trump administration to ensure the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency can succeed in its congressional mandate and work as a productive partner for industry when they need it most.”
 
“As Chairman of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee, I look forward to joining my colleagues at Stanford University for this important field hearing. With the growing frequency and severity of cyberattacks—from state-sponsored actors like China to transnational ransomware groups—it’s clear we need a forward-looking cybersecurity strategy that strengthens our cyber posture, deters adversaries, and bolsters collaboration between the federal government and the private sector,” SubcommitteeChairman Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) said. “This hearing is an opportunity to hear directly from technology leaders, innovators, and researchers about what’s working and what isn’t. It’s also a chance to closely examine the federal government’s approach to cybersecurity regulation and identify where we must streamline oversight to reduce duplication and support resilience across sectors.”

“Silicon Valley is a hub of American innovation and a critical partner to the Federal government in securing government and critical infrastructure networks,” Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-MS) said. “I’m looking forward to hearing from companies on their turf to talk about how the government can promote and benefit from tech innovation.”
 
“I am glad the Homeland Security Committee is coming to Silicon Valley to hold a field hearing on innovative cybersecurity solutions. The Bay Area has the greatest tech talent on earth and our companies are leading the way on cybersecurity across the board,”Subcommittee Ranking Member Eric Swalwell (D-CA) said. “From Lawrence Livermore Labs to companies like CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks and others, Silicon Valley is the epicenter of cybersecurity research and innovation. I am proud to have the Homeland Security committee in my neighborhood, and look forward to a productive field hearing.”

DETAILS:
 
What: A House Committee on Homeland Security field hearing entitled, “Innovation Nation: Leveraging Technology to Secure Cyberspace and Streamline Compliance.”
 
When: Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 2:00 PM PST, 5:00 PM EST 
 
Where: The Hoover Institution at Stanford University, 426 Galvez Mall, Stanford, CA 94305
 
Watch: The hearing will be livestreamed on YouTube and will be open to the public and press. Press must RSVP by May 27, 2025, at 9:00 AM PST. Witness testimony will be added here. 
 
WITNESSES: 
  
Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster (Ret.)
Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow, the Hoover Institution, Stanford University 
 
Wendi Whitmore
Chief Security Intelligence Officer, Palo Alto Networks

 Jeanette Manfra
Global Director for Security and Compliance, Office of the CISO, Google Cloud 

BACKGROUND:
 
Last week, Chairman Garbarino held a hearing to weigh the reauthorization of the “Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015” (CISA 2015), which is set to expire in September 2025, and discuss opportunities for reform. 

Last month, Homeland Republicans and House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, urging OMB to streamline unnecessarily duplicative and resource-intensive cybersecurity regulations, which force critical infrastructure owners and operators to devote resources to complying with burdensome compliance standards instead of defending their networks. 

In February, Chairman Green held a hearing to examine America’s cyber workforce shortage after reintroducing the “Cyber PIVOTT Act,” which would establish a new full-scholarship program for two-year degrees primarily at community colleges and technical schools, which are granted in exchange for required government service. Read statements of support for the bill from industry and academic stakeholders here.

In the Committee’s first hearing of the 119th Congress, members examined global cybersecurity threats to the homeland, featuring testimony from Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery, a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and Adam Meyers, senior vice president of Counter Adversary Operations at CrowdStrike. Every witness called for enhanced cyber readiness across the government and private networks and agreed the danger lies in failing to prioritize cybersecurity efforts––whether defensive or offensive. 

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