← Back to Bills
S. 2602Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the scope of affirmation of authority for cyber operations to include defense of critical infrastructure of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

Sponsored by Mike RoundsSen. Mike Rounds (R-SD)
Introduced July 31, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 23, 2025 at 11:03 PM UTC

This bill amends Title 10 of the U.S. Code to broaden the legal authority for Department of Defense cyber operations so they can be used to protect the Department’s critical infrastructure. It defines that critical infrastructure as any DoD asset whose cyber‑induced loss would seriously hinder the Department’s mission. The change applies to DoD cyber planners and operators who conduct defensive cyber activities.

Key Provisions

  • Adds “defense of critical infrastructure of the Department of Defense” to the list of activities covered by the affirmation of authority for cyber operations under 10 U.S.C. § 394(b).
  • Creates a definition for “critical infrastructure of the Department of Defense,” describing it as any DoD asset whose loss to a cyber attack would severely impair the Department’s ability to carry out its missions.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

July 31, 2025

View full timeline
SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 31, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

July 31, 2025

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode
Latest
Raw Text PDF XML
Introduced in SenateIssued July 31, 2025

II

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2602

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 31, 2025

Mr. Rounds introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the scope of affirmation of authority for cyber operations to include defense of critical infrastructure of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

1.

Expansion of scope of affirmation of authority for cyber operations to include defense of critical infrastructure of the Department of Defense

(a)

Scope of affirmation of authority

Subsection (b) of section 394 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting defense of critical infrastructure of the Department of Defense, after force protection,.

(b)

Amendment to definitions

Subsection (f) of such section 394 is amended—

(1)

by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and

(2)

by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph (2):

(2)

The term critical infrastructure of the Department of Defense means any asset of the Department of Defense of such extraordinary importance to the functioning of the Department and the operation of the armed forces that the incapacitation or destruction of such asset by a cyber attack would have a debilitating effect on the ability of the Department to fulfill its missions.

.