The House Armed Services Committee has added amendments to its version of the fiscal year 2026 defense authorization bill that would require briefings on using “cyber deception technologies” in the context of zero trust and steps to integrate artificial intelligence across the Defense Department.
“This bill is the product of hundreds of hours of oversight done by all members and staff over the past few months. It is a strong bill that will help reform the acquisition system, revitalize the defense industrial base and build the ready, capable and lethal fighting force we need to deter China and our other adversaries,” Chairman Mike Rogers (R-LA) said at the start of a July 15 mark-up of the legislation.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) introduced the subcommittee print for the cyber, information technologies and innovation panel, which contains provisions to move toward requiring an AI Software Bill of Materials for DOD procurement. Bacon chairs the subcommittee.
In his opening statement, Bacon said the subcommittee print contains provisions to “leverage AI to bolster cybersecurity skills, create new lines of efforts for using generative AI and continue to lay the framework for the Department’s adoption of AI.”
The full committee also approved an en bloc package from the CITI subcommittee with several amendments addressing cybersecurity and AI matters.
The package includes an amendment from Rep. John McGuire (R-VA) on cyber deception technologies to place in the report accompanying the policy bill.
The amendment says: “The committee notes the Department of Defense’s effort to establish a zero-trust cybersecurity architecture and continuously validate users and their access to sensitive and classified information. However, the committee is aware that emerging cyber threats like identity-driven attacks and artificial intelligence-enabled malware continue to stress the Department’s ability to reliably secure its networks.”
It continues, “Further action to implement active cyber defense technologies, such as cyber deception tools, is necessary to not only prevent access to sensitive data, but also to collect valuable intelligence on new or emerging cyber threats.”
“The committee believes that cyber deception tools could increase the Department’s ability to identify specific actors, what systems they target and the methods they use to execute cyber tradecraft,” according to the amendment.
The committee directs the DOD CIO to include in its next briefing on zero-trust implementation “an update on the Department’s use of cyber deception technologies to augment zero trust.”
An amendment from Bacon was also added to the bill that would require the Navy to update cyber requirements for its telecommunications contracts to ensure wireless telecom devices are protected “against domestic and international cybersecurity attacks, including SS7 signaling attacks, diameter signaling attacks, SIM hacking and simulated cellular sites.”
On AI, an amendment from Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) to create a National Security and Defense Artificial Intelligence Institute is among the provisions added to the bill through the en bloc package.
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) also added an AI-focused amendment directing the DOD Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer to produce a report on using “AI-enabled decision aids,” and Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) requested a briefing from the defense secretary on the use of large language models across DOD.
The en bloc package says the AI briefing should include:
- an evaluation of the potential for artificial general intelligence, and any loss of control scenarios and associated risks to national security associated with it;
- analysis of opportunities for beneficial applications of advanced AI systems for defense and civilian purposes; and
- recommendations for risk mitigation strategies, research priorities, and potential regulatory frameworks related to the possible development and use of artificial general intelligence.
The House Armed Services Committee is in the process of considering additional amendments to its version of the legislation, with an anticipated vote on the final bill in the late afternoon or this evening.
The Senate Armed Services Committee advanced its version of the policy bill on July 9 and released a summary two days later highlighting key provisions.
Originally published Inside Defense
