WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.), Co-Chairs of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), today released the following statement on the inclusion of several key cybersecurity provisions in the final version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Once the President signs the bill into law, 58 out of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s 82 recommendations have now become law – roughly a seventy percent success rate.

“It is critical that the United States continue to improve the cyber resiliency of its armed forces both at home and abroad, and the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act addresses this need with a meaningful provision to assess their ability to remain resilient and reconstitute functions in the case of a cyber emergency. This provision gets the ball rolling on the similar issue of continuity of the economy planning that the nation so desperately needs – a key recommendation of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission.

“The security of our nuclear command, control, and communications mission is existentially important, and the NDAA’s focus on bolstering its cyber resiliency is wise and timely. This is one of the many important provisions of military cyber resiliency that we are proud to see in this year’s defense bill.”

This year’s NDAA includes legislations to establish a pilot program to test the cyber resiliency and reconstitution of military installations in the event of an attack on regional critical infrastructure – a top priority of the CSC and its follow-on Cyber Solarium 2.0 effort.  It also requires the establishment of a team dedicated to improving the cybersecurity of the systems and networks that support the nuclear command, control, and communications mission.

Significant cybersecurity provisions supported by CSC in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act include:

• A pilot program to test the cyber resiliency and reconstitution of military installations in the event of an attack on regional critical infrastructure.
• The codification of funding authorities within the State Department to provide cybersecurity assistance.
• Increasing military cybersecurity cooperation with Taiwan to identify opportunities to defend military networks and counter malicious cyber activities.
• Improving the cybersecurity of the systems and networks that support the nuclear command, control, and communications mission.
• The clarification and harmonization of the Department of Defense’s “Strategic Cybersecurity Program” to better ensure the Department’s ability to conduct critical military functions.
• The development of cyber support mechanisms for each of the geographic combatant commands.
• The establishment of a pilot program to assess the standards and readiness of personnel in the United States Cyber Command.
• Create a pilot program to establish a Civilian Cybersecurity Reserve to provide additional manpower to United States Cybercommand.
• Conducting a study on the personnel and resources necessary to improve the Cyber Mission Force’s occupational resiliency.
• The expansion and extension of cybersecurity partnerships in Southeast Asia.

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