America is under attack. Our critical infrastructure — the digital and physical systems that sustain daily life — is being probed, infiltrated, and in some cases quietly occupied by hostile foreign powers. If we fail to confront this threat with clarity and resolve, the consequences will be swift, disruptive, and deeply personal for millions of Americans.
Conflict has evolved beyond tanks and missiles. It has evolved silently, creeping through the networks we depend on, where traditional boundaries are blurred, and attribution is deliberately obscured.
The alarms are already flashing red. The Department of Homeland Security, the National Security Agency, and the FBI confirmed in a joint advisory that Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors are actively positioning themselves inside U.S. networks, preparing the capability to launch destructive cyberattacks against essential services in the event of a conflict or crisis. One such group, known as “Volt Typhoon,” maintained access to segments of our critical infrastructure for at least five years before being detected.
While Washington debated authorities, frameworks, and thresholds, agents of the Chinese Communist Party were already embedded in systems Americans depend on every day.
The threat associated with cyberattacks is no longer hidden in ones and zeros; we are seeing real-world examples of how America’s adversaries are using cyberattacks to target our physical infrastructure, steal Americans’ personal data, and undermine our homeland security. In Littleton, Massachusetts, China-backed cyber hackers infiltrated the town’s water and electric systems. These are deliberate attacks on American communities.
And they are not slowing down. Last year, a report from Anthropic revealed a troubling new evolution in cyber warfare. With high confidence, the company assessed that a China-backed state-sponsored actor had used Anthropic’s Claude artificial intelligence platform to help automate elements of a cyber operation targeting entities around the world, significantly reducing the need for direct human involvement.
China is not alone. Russia, Iran, and North Korea are relentlessly looking for vulnerabilities in our networks. The truth is uncomfortable but unavoidable: We are already in a cyberwar. The remaining question is whether we intend to shape it or simply continue reacting to it.
As chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection for the House Committee on Homeland Security, I have been entrusted with leading our efforts to protect the nation’s digital infrastructure from foreign adversaries, terrorists, and criminal actors. I am committed to an America First cybersecurity mission, meaning we must hold cyber aggressors accountable, confront hostile regimes without apology, and ensure the federal government can aggressively respond when deterrence fails.
Republicans have taken meaningful steps in that direction. Initiatives included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act strengthened cyber deterrence and resilience. In November 2025, the House also passed two of my bills to bolster our cybersecurity efforts. The Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act, or PILLAR Act, extends and enhances vital cybersecurity resources for state and local governments, which are under attack like never before.
As a former county mayor, I saw firsthand how outdated systems and limited expertise left local governments exposed. In my home state of Tennessee, the city of La Vergne was forced to take its systems offline last year following a cyber breach that disrupted essential municipal services.
The House also passed my Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act, which cuts through bureaucracy to create a streamlined response in the federal government and address the widespread cybersecurity threats posed by the CCP. I urge the Senate to move swiftly to send these bills to President Donald Trump’s desk as Communist China’s cyber aggression continues to intensify.
These efforts matter, but resilience without long-term security is hollow. In cyberspace, even small gaps invite exploitation. Waiting to respond after an intrusion has already occurred is not a strategy. It is capitulation to the enemy.
Washington alone cannot combat these cyber threats. The majority of America’s critical infrastructure is owned and operated by the private sector, making public-private collaboration essential. Effective cyber deterrence depends on aligning government authorities with private sector innovation and operational expertise.
The same technologies reshaping our economy are reshaping the cyber battlefield. Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and quantum technologies offer extraordinary defensive potential, but they also introduce new risks if adversaries exploit them first. China and Russia understand this well. They are investing heavily in advanced computing, automation, and data exploitation as instruments of national power, conducting sustained cyber operations while deliberately staying below the threshold of open conflict.
The United States must never cede this ground. At a joint subcommittee hearing I co-led with Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK), chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability, we heard from Anthropic, Google, and Quantum Xchange about how these emerging technologies can be strategically leveraged to strengthen our cybersecurity posture. AI can dramatically enhance threat detection and response. Cloud infrastructure can enhance resilience. Quantum technologies promise entirely new security paradigms. But leadership requires vigilance. Witnesses at the hearing were clear that success requires speed, coordination, and the willingness to move faster than our adversaries without creating new vulnerabilities in the process.
AMERICA 250 LAUNCHES VOLUNTEER EFFORT TO ‘GALVANIZE OUR COUNTRY’
That is why I am beginning the new year with a hearing focused on how Congress, the federal government, and the private sector can work together to strengthen America’s cyber offense capabilities and restore credible deterrence against sophisticated adversaries.
We are in an era of cyber terrorism where cyberattacks can paralyze communities without a single shot being fired. Protecting America’s digital borders is as vital as defending its physical ones. The U.S. must act with urgency and confidence to secure its networks before adversaries decide to test them in ways Americans cannot afford.
Andy Ogles represents Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection.