Bacon to serve as chairman for House subcommittee focused on cyber and innovation

Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) will serve as the new chairman of the House Armed Services cyber, information technologies and innovation subcommittee, according to an announcement yesterday from House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL).

The subcommittee chairmanship has been left open since Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) resigned from the House effective April 19, a move Gallagher announced in March.

Before this appointment, Bacon served on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Agricultural Committee.

“As chairman of the Quality of Life Panel, Rep. Bacon has been a tireless advocate for our servicemembers and military families. Rep. Bacon is a proven leader for national defense, and I am proud to announce that he will serve as chairman of the subcommittee on cyber, information technologies and innovation,” Rogers said in a statement.

“Staying ahead of our adversaries in the digital space is vital. I know Rep. Bacon will bring valuable knowledge and expertise to the subcommittee and I look forward to continuing our work together to strengthen our military,” he added.

Bacon, who previously served in the Air Force where he specialized in electronic warfare, intelligence and reconnaissance, thanked Rogers for the appointment, noting future priorities for the subcommittee.

“In order to maintain the world’s most capable and lethal military, we must make modernization and innovation a priority,” Bacon said. “As chairman, I will continue to support enhancing our cybersecurity and will work to advance artificial intelligence and emerging technologies that will be vital for our success on the battlefields of the future.”

Gallagher’s departure also left open the chairmanship position on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, although quickly after Gallagher announced his resignation, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) named Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) to fill the position.

Gallagher’s resignation also left Johnson with a one-seat GOP majority in the House.