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FEDERALhearing transcript
High Impact

Congressional Hearing on Information Warfare and Counter-Propaganda Strategy

Original title: [H.A.S.C. No. 115-16] CRAFTING AN INFORMATION WARFARE AND COUNTER-PROPAGANDA STRATEGY FOR THE EMERGING SECURITY ENVIRONMENT

January 1, 2017

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing establishes the legislative framework and policy priorities for how the U.S. Department of Defense and other agencies will address foreign influence campaigns and in the emerging security environment.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Department of Defense

The agency is tasked with developing and implementing strategies to counter adversarial information warfare.

U.S. Citizens

The hearing addresses the impact of foreign propaganda on the domestic information environment and national security.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2017.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities held its first public hearing to discuss the national security challenges posed by foreign and propaganda. Lawmakers and experts examined how adversarial influence campaigns affect global security and the need for a approach to counter these threats.

Key Facts

  • The hearing was the first public session held by the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities regarding information warfare.
  • The subcommittee identified information warfare as a generational national security challenge.
  • The scope of the discussion included psychological, cognitive, and cultural aspects of propaganda, not just digital or technical mediums.
  • The Chairwoman emphasized that the Department of Defense cannot address these threats alone and requires a whole-of-government strategy.
  • The hearing took place on March 15, 2017, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
  • The subcommittee received prepared statements from three expert witnesses: Matthew Armstrong, Michael D. Lumpkin, and Timothy L. Thomas.

Why It Matters

This hearing establishes the legislative framework and policy priorities for how the U.S. Department of Defense and other agencies will address foreign influence campaigns and in the emerging security environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of this hearing?
To discuss and develop a strategy for countering foreign propaganda and that threatens U.S. national security.
Who participated in this hearing?
Members of the House Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, along with expert witnesses from strategic communication and military studies backgrounds.

News Coverage

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Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Shift toward cognitive warfare

The hearing marks a formal recognition by the subcommittee that information warfare must be treated as a psychological and cognitive threat rather than just a technical or cyber issue.

Connected Entities

personMichael D. LumpkinWitness, Principal at NeptuneMap →
organizationDepartment of DefensePrimary agency responsible for national defense strategyMap →
personElise M. StefanikChairwoman of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and CapabilitiesMap →
personMatthew ArmstrongWitness, Associate Fellow at King's Centre for Strategic CommunicationsMap →
organizationSubcommittee on Emerging Threats and CapabilitiesSubcommittee of the House Armed Services CommitteeMap →
personTimothy L. ThomasWitness, Senior Analyst at Foreign Military Studies OfficeMap →
personJames R. LangevinRanking Member of the SubcommitteeMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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