Appropriations chief: Pentagon should do more to stop China’s cyberattacks

House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) says the Pentagon should be more aggressive to stem the number of Chinese cyberattacks against U.S. interests.

Chairman Rogers told Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Martin Dempsey that he thought the military should be doing more to stem the number of cyberattacks coming from China. “I think we have to take action with China to stop the PLA from bombarding us hourly with these hack attacks,” Chairman Rogers said. “They've stolen all sorts of weaponry from us and research, even the F-35. And I would hope that the department would be much more aggressive on the cybersecurity front.” Rogers raised the cyber issue with Hagel at a hearing that was primarily intended to talk about the 2014 budget. He was one of several appropriations lawmakers to talk about both China’s cyberattacks and the dispute in the South China Sea.