WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Chairman Andy Ogles (R-TN) announced a hearing for Tuesday, January 13, to examine how the United States can strengthen its approach to offensive cyber operations as part of a broader national security framework, including the evolving roles of federal agencies and the private sector. 

As cyber operations become central tools of statecraft and conflict, and as adversaries such as the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Russia, and Iran continue targeting U.S. networks and infrastructure with increasingly sophisticated campaigns, it is critical that the U.S. government maintain a proactive, coordinated, and forward-leaning cyber posture. This hearing will examine the operational, legal, and policy frameworks that shape offensive cyber activities across the federal government, including how agencies and industry partners can clarify roles and responsibilities, coordinate effectively, and ensure that efforts to enhance cyber disruption capabilities strengthen the security and resilience of the homeland. 

“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,” Chairman Ogles said. “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.” 

DETAILS:

What: A Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection hearing entitled, “Defense through Offense: Examining U.S. Cyber Capabilities to Deter and Disrupt Malign Foreign Activity Targeting the Homeland.”

When: January 13, 2026, at 10:00 am EST

Where: 310 Cannon House Office Building  

Witnesses will be announced and are by invitation only.

The hearing will be livestreamed on YouTube and will be open to the public and press. Press must be congressionally credentialed and should RSVP in advance.

BACKGROUND:

In December 2025, Chairman Ogles and Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability Chairman Josh Brecheen (R-OK) convened a joint subcommittee hearing to examine threats stemming from foreign adversaries’ use of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and hyperscale cloud infrastructure, as well as how the U.S. can leverage this technology to defend the nation’s networks from malicious actors. 

The hearing followed letters from Chairmen Ogles and Brecheen, as well as House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY), requesting testimony from representatives of Anthropic, Google, and Quantum Xchange, following Anthropic’s report assessing with high confidence that a PRC state-sponsored cyber actor used the company’s AI systems to carry out a largely autonomous cyber espionage campaign with minimal human oversight.

In November 2025, the House passed two Committee bills, led by Chairman Ogles, to bolster the nation’s cybersecurity posture. H.R. 5078, the “Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act” (PILLAR Act), reauthorizes the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. The bill garnered widespread industry and government support. The House also passed H.R. 2659, the “Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act,” which establishes an interagency task force to address the widespread cybersecurity threats posed by state-sponsored cyber actors associated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Chairman Garbarino penned an op-ed for CyberScoop, calling for stronger public-private partnerships to counter cyber threats from nation-state adversaries, like the PRC, Russia, and Iran. 
 

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