Henrico Times

Today, Congressmen Rob Wittman and Pat Ryan announced the relaunch of the House Defense Modernization Caucus (HDMC) for the 119th Congress. The caucus aims to advance national security by integrating emerging technologies into defense strategies. The announcement was made at an event on Capitol Hill titled "Defense Modernization Outlook for the 119th Congress: Priorities and Pathways," which featured discussions with leaders from government, private capital, and the defense industry.

The HDMC, originally founded by Wittman and Ryan, focuses on modernizing the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) through key policy and funding initiatives. Congressman Wittman stated, "As warfare continues to evolve with emerging technologies, our national security agencies must prioritize agile and responsive modernization efforts."

Congressman Ryan emphasized urgency in these efforts, stating, “There’s no more time for screwing around. We need to deliver and scale capabilities at the speed of combat, not the speed of Congress.” He highlighted a need for reforms within the Pentagon and increased collaboration with venture capital and private sectors.

Jacqueline Tame from Silicon Valley Defense Group praised Wittman and Ryan's work. She said, "These long-needed efforts to catalyze systemic modernization via digital transformation...require strong, unwavering bipartisan leadership."

During the event, Tame moderated a panel featuring Wittman and Ryan discussing initiatives like streamlining the DoD's Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution process. A follow-up panel explored collaboration between the Pentagon and tech firms on AI integration while addressing ethical concerns.

In December, Wittman and Ryan secured wins in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act to support defense innovation. They worked on streamlining processes within the DoD to benefit startups.