Rep. Mark Green Calls for Cyber Refocus Amidst CISA Cuts and China Threat

At the Vanderbilt University Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats, Rep. Mark Green, Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, urged a renewed focus on cyber defence—warning of persistent Chinese intrusions and raising concerns over potential cuts to the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Speaking candidly after his keynote, Green described the challenge of ongoing Chinese cyber campaigns, including threats from groups like Volt Typhoon. “We’ve requested thousands of pages of information from Homeland Security. Some of it has trickled in, but we haven’t dug in yet,” he said.

Green acknowledged reports of impending CISA workforce reductions, suggesting some roles may be better handled by the private sector. Still, he emphasised the need for CISA to return to its “core mission”—protecting critical infrastructure—adding, “President Trump created CISA. He’d want it focused on what it was meant to do.”

While the Biden administration recently disbanded the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB), Green stressed the importance of its oversight mission. “It doesn’t matter who does the job—as long as it gets done. Congress needs to step up and own that responsibility.”

Despite recent partisan tensions—particularly around Green’s Cyber PIVOTT Act—he dismissed claims that bipartisanship on cyber is dead. “There are still people across the aisle, like Eric Swalwell, co-sponsoring bills with me. That’s real cooperation,” Green said.

On a final note, he called for transparency around foreign disinformation, especially by state actors like Russia and China, but warned against revealing sensitive intelligence methods. “We’ve got to get it right—securely and responsibly.”