A significant proposal to establish a **U.S. Cyber Force** as the latest military branch was narrowly defeated this week within the **Senate Armed Services Committee**. The amendment, championed by **Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)**, aimed to create a digital-focused service as part of the chamber's fiscal 2027 national defense authorization bill, which carries a price tag of nearly $1.2 trillion. The amendment was defeated by a slim 14-13 vote during closed-door deliberations. Congressional sources, speaking anonymously, indicated that nine Democrats and four Republicans supported the measure. ### Deferring to a Feasibility Study The primary argument against the immediate creation of a Cyber Force centered on the ongoing feasibility study by the **National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)**. This study, also championed by Senator Gillibrand, was mandated in a previous defense roadmap and is expected to conclude later this year. Policymakers largely agreed that a comprehensive understanding of the implications is necessary before such a monumental step. The close vote, despite a lack of in-depth congressional study on a Cyber Force, highlights a growing bipartisan frustration on Capitol Hill. This frustration stems from the perceived chronic failure of existing military services to adequately supply **U.S. Cyber Command** with personnel prepared to counter sophisticated online adversaries like **China** and **Russia**. **Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD)**, who chairs the Armed Services cyber subcommittee, acknowledged the ongoing review: "We're not sure this is the right time," he stated, citing the NASEM review and the rapidly changing nature of cyber security, particularly with the advent of **Artificial Intelligence (AI)**. Earlier this month, an independent commission published a report detailing how the U.S. could establish a seventh military branch. This report estimated that a new uniformed cyber branch would cost up to $11 billion and comprise approximately 33,000 troops, including 20,000 active-duty members. Senator Gillibrand's amendment was widely believed to mirror these recommendations, including nesting the Cyber Force within the Army, similar to how the **Space Force** operates under the Air Force. A spokesperson for Senator Gillibrand affirmed their commitment: "We remain optimistic about Cyber Force and the senator will continue to push for its creation." ### A New 'Dual-Hat' Role for Cyber Leadership While the Cyber Force proposal didn't make it into the sprawling defense bill, the legislation does include a significant reorganization of the **Defense Department's** cyber offices. The bill proposes the creation of a new **Under Secretary of Defense for Cyber, Information, and Networks**. This role would be "dual-hatted," serving concurrently as the **Pentagon’s Chief Information Officer (CIO)** and the principal cyber advisor to the **Secretary of Defense**. This provision, set to take effect in two years, aims to proactively address ongoing tensions between the CIO and the **assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy**. At the heart of the disagreement has been a differing interpretation of what constitutes cyber operations. The assistant secretary’s office has historically claimed statutory authority over such efforts, while the CIO has equated these activities with cybersecurity as a whole, placing them under their organization’s purview. As one congressional official noted, in an era of advanced AI models in the cyber and networking domain, there is a critical need for "aligning, of creating the unity of policy and compliance mechanisms in protecting our networks." The new office is designed to "minimize some of the inherent friction that has come over time, as these two roles have ultimately matured." Senator Rounds emphasized that the envisioned Senate-confirmed post would "literally bring cyber back up to a higher level than what it is today and eliminate any friction between two offices: one design to identify offensive and defensive operations, and CIO, which is the platforms that this lives on."