April 24, 2020
The Honorable Mark T. Esper The Honorable David L. Norquist
Secretary of Defense Deputy Secretary Of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon 1010 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000 Washington, DC 20301-1010
Dear Secretary Esper and Secretary Norquist:
We write to express our profound concern regarding the potential elimination of the College of
Information and Cyberspace (CIC) as a component institution of the National Defense University (NDU).
The NDU was established “to consolidate intellectual resources and provide joint higher education for the
nation’s defense community.” An integral part of that mission, the CIC exists to provide degree-
conferring and other programs in critical warfighting areas within cyber and information warfare. Given
the importance of the emerging cyber and information domains and the ever-increasing reliance on
technology in warfare, we see any diminution in or disaggregation of the CIC’s programs as gravely
shortsighted.
We believe that academic programs specializing in cyber and information warfare should not be relegated
to standalone elective courses within other NDU colleges, in lieu of their full degree or certificate-
granting status at the CIC. We fear that such an action sends the wrong message to our warfighters and to
our adversaries. The strategic environment today demands carefully calibrated strategy, policy and
operations in cyberspace and the information domain. Accordingly, we should be building up — not
diluting— cyber education for military and civilian personnel.
Further, it is our understanding that a number of components within the Department of Defense —
including the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, U.S. Cyber Command and the Chief Information
Officer — have made clear that this decision would cause unacceptable harm to the joint mission of
training and cultivating a professional cyber workforce, resulting in a workforce shortfall in the face of
ever-increasing demand for cyber expertise and cyber professionals.
Section 2165 (b) of title 10, United States Code, establishes the CIC in law as a constituent institution of
the NDU. The institutionalization of the CIC in code was a deliberate choice of the Congress in
recognition of the importance of graduate education in the complex disciplines involved in cyber and
information warfare. As such, it is our expectation that any action to eliminate, subsume into another
college, or institutionally diminish the CIC would require a change in law or prior explicit congressional
approval.
We understand that — while a final decision surrounding the CIC is yet to be announced and no
legislative proposal has been delivered to the Congress — some CIC faculty have already left and
potential students are not applying to CIC programs due to the uncertainty surrounding the future of the
CIC. It greatly concerns us that the NDU appears to have encouraged this uncertainty and attenuation,
failed to respect the Congress’ intent and institutionalization of the CIC in law and may not be able to
restore that lost expertise and capability. In view of that, we expect to work with you, the Joint Staff, and
the President of NDU to make sure that this avoidable gap in professional military and civilian education
is promptly addressed.
Maintaining and growing the College of Information and Cyberspace in the NDU is critical for our shared
educational objectives. Doing so sends the appropriate message to our peer competitors that we will
remain at the forefront of emergent warfighting domains.
Sincerely,
M. Michael Rounds Joe Manchin III
United States Senator United States Senator
/s/ James R. Langevin
James R. Langevin Elise Stefanik
Member of Congress Member of Congress
