Henrico Times

Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Congressman Pat Ryan (D-NY) have come together to announce the establishment of the Congressional Defense Modernization Caucus. The purpose of this caucus is to promote the integration and adoption of emergent technologies in order to enhance the national security ecosystem.

In a joint statement, the founding co-chairs of the caucus expressed their commitment to advancing the technological evolution of the U.S. Department of Defense and associated national security functions. Congressman Wittman emphasized the importance of staying ahead in modern warfare, stating, “As the nature of warfare has evolved through the integration of emerging technologies, there is a growing need for focused attention to enable and support flexible and responsive modernization efforts at our national security agencies.”

Furthermore, Congressman Wittman highlighted the bipartisan nature of the Defense Modernization Caucus, stating, “As founding co-chair of the bipartisan Defense Modernization Caucus, I look forward to working with my colleagues from across the aisle to advance America’s safety and security through cutting-edge technologies.”

Congressman Ryan shared his personal experience and motivation for participating in the caucus, revealing, “When I returned home from Iraq, I co-founded a company that deployed cutting-edge analytics software to support our troops in harm’s way. We navigated the often-winding halls of DoD, working to find ways to break down barriers for innovative and disruptive technologies.”

He also emphasized the importance of collaboration between Congress and the Department of Defense in driving technological advancements for national security, stating, “We, as Members of Congress, need to continue to push DoD to do more and do better at working with innovative companies to partner, develop, and deploy technologies that will change the game – and I’m thrilled to co-chair the bipartisan Defense Modernization Caucus, which will continue this critical work.”

The establishment of the Congressional Defense Modernization Caucus by Congressman Wittman and Congressman Ryan signals a bipartisan effort towards enhancing the defense capabilities of the United States through the strategic integration of emerging technologies.