Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act
This bill requires the Department of Education to establish a pilot program in order to award grants to partnerships between postsecondary educational institutions and employers in critical infrastructure sectors for cybersecurity education programs.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6124 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6124
To direct the Secretary of Education to establish a pilot program to
award competitive grants for the integration of cybersecurity
education, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 30, 2023
Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania (for himself and Ms. Bonamici) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education
and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Education to establish a pilot program to
award competitive grants for the integration of cybersecurity
education, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Cybersecurity Skills Integration
Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to improve the cybersecurity
competencies of the critical infrastructure workforce, particularly
operators of critical infrastructure technology, by developing
postsecondary career and technical education programs that integrate
cybersecurity education.
SEC. 3. CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION GRANTS.
(a) In General.--From the amounts made available to carry out this
Act, the Secretary of Education shall, not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act, establish a pilot program under which
the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible
partnerships for--
(1) the development and implementation of postsecondary
career and technical education programs that incorporate
cybersecurity education and prepare individuals to meet
workforce needs in critical infrastructure sectors; and
(2) the integration of cybersecurity education into
existing postsecondary career and technical education programs
that prepare individuals to meet workforce needs in critical
infrastructure sectors.
(b) Consultation and Coordination.--In awarding grants under this
Act, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Labor, the
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the
Secretary of Homeland Security, to determine the greatest workforce
needs in critical infrastructure sectors.
(c) Grant Amount.--The amount of any grant made under this Act
shall not exceed $500,000 in any fiscal year.
(d) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
Act, an eligible partnership shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, containing such information as
the Secretary may reasonably require, and including a description of--
(1) the roles and responsibilities of each partner in the
eligible partnership, and each partner's capacity to support
the postsecondary career and technical education program to be
developed and implemented with funds awarded under this Act, or
the postsecondary career and technical education program into
which cybersecurity education will be integrated with funds
awarded under this Act;
(2) the critical infrastructure sector or sectors that such
postsecondary career and technical education program prepares
individuals to enter;
(3) the in-demand occupation within such sector or sectors
that such postsecondary career and technical education program
prepares individuals to enter;
(4) the workforce needs of such critical infrastructure
sector or sectors, including cybersecurity workforce needs, and
how the postsecondary career and technical education program
will meet such workforce needs;
(5) how the eligible partnership will incorporate
cybersecurity education aligned to the National Initiative for
Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce
Framework developed by the National Institute of Standards and
Technology of the Department of Commerce, or successor
framework, into such postsecondary career and technical
education program;
(6) the assessment, capstone project, or other means of
demonstrating knowledge and cybersecurity skills specific to
the critical infrastructure sector or sectors that such
postsecondary career and technical education program prepares
individuals to enter, and an assurance that such assessment,
project, or other demonstration of knowledge and skills will be
a requirement for program completion;
(7) the work-based learning opportunities the eligible
partnership will offer;
(8) how such postsecondary career and technical education
program will lead to a recognized postsecondary credential and
employment in the critical infrastructure sector or sectors
targeted by the postsecondary career and technical education
program;
(9) the process through which the cybersecurity education
curriculum and educational materials developed or integrated
using such grant will be updated annually to include the most
recent information on cybersecurity threats specific to such
critical infrastructure sector or sectors;
(10) how such postsecondary career and technical education
program will be sustained following the grant period;
(11) how such postsecondary career and technical education
program will promote diversity within the cybersecurity
workforce in critical infrastructure sectors; and
(12) any other purpose for which the eligible partnership
intends to use funds awarded under this Act.
(e) Regional Diversity.--When awarding grants under this Act, the
Secretary shall ensure that grants are awarded to eligible partnerships
in different regions.
(f) Reporting Requirements.--An eligible partnership that receives
a grant under this Act shall annually submit a report to the Secretary
that includes--
(1) a description of how any funds awarded to the eligible
partnership under this Act have been used during the period
covered by the report;
(2) the number of students who have received a recognized
postsecondary credential during such period from the
postsecondary career and technical education program into which
cybersecurity education was incorporated using such funds,
disaggregated by the subgroups of students described in section
1111(c)(2)(B) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(c)(2)(B)) and by each special population;
(3) a description of any updates made during the preceding
year to the cybersecurity education curriculum and educational
materials of such postsecondary career and technical education
program in accordance with the requirements of subsection
(d)(9); and
(4) the percentage of participants in unsubsidized
employment in an in-demand occupation in a critical
infrastructure sector targeted by the postsecondary career and
technical education program after exiting the postsecondary
career and technical education program.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this Act $10,000,000.
(h) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Critical infrastructure.--The term ``critical
infrastructure'' has the meaning given the term in section
1016(e) of the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)).
(2) Cybersecurity education.--The term ``cybersecurity
education'' shall mean education on critical infrastructure
cyber defense, including--
(A) ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and
availability of information systems used in critical
infrastructure, including control systems and
operational technology;
(B) developing engineering skills applicable to
industrial control systems and operational technologies
used in critical infrastructure systems; and
(C) training to ensure the continuous physical and
environmental safety of the operations of critical
infrastructure systems.
(3) Eligible partnership.--
(A) Required partners.--The term ``eligible
partnership'' means a partnership that includes--
(i) a postsecondary educational
institution; and
(ii) 2 or more public or private employers,
in a critical infrastructure sector, with
demonstrated cybersecurity workforce needs,
that is located in the region where the
postsecondary career and technical education
program will be developed and implemented with
a grant awarded under this Act.
(B) Optional partners.--The partnership may also
include one or more--
(i) community stakeholders (such as local
governments, nonprofit institutions, economic
development organizations, planning agencies,
labor organizations, or industry associations);
(ii) local educational agencies (as the
term is defined in section 8101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7801)); and
(iii) eligible agencies that are located in
the region where the postsecondary career and
technical education program will be developed
and implemented with funds awarded under this
Act.
(4) Eligible agency.--The term ``eligible agency'' means a
State board designated or created consistent with State law as
the sole State agency responsible for the administration of
career and technical education in the State or for the
supervision of the administration of career and technical
education in the State.
(5) In-demand industry sector or occupation.--The term
``in-demand industry sector or occupation'' has the meaning
given the term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(6) Postsecondary educational institution.--The term
``postsecondary educational institution'' means--
(A) an institution of higher education (defined in
section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001)) that provides not less than a 2-year
program of instruction that is acceptable for credit
toward an associate's or bachelor's degree;
(B) a tribally controlled college or university
(defined in section 2(a)(4) of the Tribally Controlled
Colleges and Universities Assistance Act of 1978 (25
U.S.C. 1801(a)(4))); or
(C) a nonprofit educational institution offering
certificate or other skilled training programs at the
postsecondary level.
(7) Postsecondary career and technical education program.--
The term ``postsecondary career and technical education
program'' means a coordinated, nonduplicative sequence of
academic and technical content at the postsecondary level
that--
(A) addresses both academic and technical knowledge
and skills, including employability skills;
(B) is aligned with the needs of industries in the
economy of the State, region, Tribal community, or
local area;
(C) progresses in specificity (beginning with all
aspects of an industry or career cluster and leading to
more occupation-specific instruction);
(D) has multiple entry and exit points that
incorporate credentialing; and
(E) culminates in the attainment of a recognized
postsecondary credential.
(8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
(9) Work based learning.--The term ``work based learning''
means sustained interactions with industry or community
professionals in real workplace settings, to the extent
practicable, or simulated environments at an educational
institution that foster in-depth, firsthand engagement with the
tasks required in a given career field, that are aligned to
curriculum and instruction.
(10) Recognized postsecondary credential.--The term
``recognized postsecondary credential'' has the meaning given
the term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(11) Special populations.--The term ``special populations''
means--
(A) individuals with disabilities;
(B) individuals from economically disadvantaged
families, including low-income youth and adults;
(C) individuals preparing for non-traditional
fields;
(D) single parents, including single pregnant
women;
(E) out-of-workforce individuals;
(F) English learners;
(G) homeless individuals described in section
11434a of title 42, United States Code;
(H) youth who are in, or have aged out of, the
foster care system; and
(I) youth with a parent who--
(i) is a member of the Armed Forces (as
such term is defined in section 101(a)(4) of
title 10, United States Code); and
(ii) is on active duty (as such term is
defined in section 101(d)(1) of such title).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
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