[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 658 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
S.658
One Hundred Seventeenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
the third day of January, two thousand and twenty two
An Act
To authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to work with
cybersecurity consortia for training, 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 ``National Cybersecurity Preparedness
Consortium Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL CYBERSECURITY PREPAREDNESS CONSORTIUM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary may work with one or more consortia
to support efforts to address cybersecurity risks and incidents.
(b) Assistance to DHS.--The Secretary may work with one or more
consortia to carry out the Secretary's responsibility pursuant to
section 2202(e)(1)(P) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C.
652(e)(1)(P)) to--
(1) provide training and education to State, Tribal, and local
first responders and officials specifically for preparing for and
responding to cybersecurity risks and incidents, in accordance with
applicable law;
(2) develop and update a curriculum utilizing existing training
and educational programs and models in accordance with section 2209
of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 659), for State,
Tribal, and local first responders and officials, related to
cybersecurity risks and incidents;
(3) provide technical assistance services, training, and
educational programs to build and sustain capabilities in support
of preparedness for and response to cybersecurity risks and
incidents, including threats of acts of terrorism, in accordance
with such section 2209;
(4) conduct cross-sector cybersecurity training, education, and
simulation exercises for entities, including State and local
governments and Tribal organizations, critical infrastructure
owners and operators, and private industry, to encourage community-
wide coordination in defending against and responding to
cybersecurity risks and incidents, in accordance with section
2210(c) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 660(c));
(5) help States, Tribal organizations, and communities develop
cybersecurity information sharing programs, in accordance with
section 2209 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 659),
for the dissemination of homeland security information related to
cybersecurity risks and incidents;
(6) help incorporate cybersecurity risk and incident prevention
and response into existing State, Tribal, and local emergency
plans, including continuity of operations plans; and
(7) assist State governments and Tribal organizations in
developing cybersecurity plans.
(c) Considerations Regarding Selection of a Consortium.--In
selecting a consortium with which to work under this Act, the Secretary
shall take into consideration the following:
(1) Prior experience conducting cybersecurity training,
education, and exercises for State and local entities.
(2) Geographic diversity of the members of any such consortium
so as to maximize coverage of the different regions of the United
States.
(3) The participation in such consortium of one or more
historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving
institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, other minority-
serving institutions, and community colleges that participate in
the National Centers of Excellence in Cybersecurity program, as
carried out by the Department of Homeland Security.
(d) Metrics.--If the Secretary works with a consortium under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall measure the effectiveness of the
activities undertaken by the consortium under this Act.
(e) Outreach.--The Secretary shall conduct outreach to universities
and colleges, including, in particular, outreach to historically Black
colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal
Colleges and Universities, other minority-serving institutions, and
community colleges, regarding opportunities to support efforts to
address cybersecurity risks and incidents, by working with the
Secretary under subsection (a).
(f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed
to authorize a consortium to control or direct any law enforcement
agency in the exercise of the duties of the law enforcement agency.
(g) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) the term ``community college'' has the meaning given the
term ``junior or community college'' in section 312 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058);
(2) the term ``consortium'' means a group primarily composed of
nonprofit entities, including academic institutions, that develop,
update, and deliver cybersecurity training and education in support
of homeland security;
(3) the terms ``cybersecurity risk'' and ``incident'' have the
meanings given those terms in section 2209(a) of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 659(a));
(4) the term ``Department'' means the Department of Homeland
Security;
(5) the term ``Hispanic-serving institution'' has the meaning
given the term in section 502 of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1101a);
(6) the term ``historically Black college and university'' has
the meaning given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061);
(7) the term ``minority-serving institution'' means an
institution of higher education described in section 371(a) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a));
(8) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Homeland
Security;
(9) The term ``State'' means any State of the United States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the
United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any possession of
the United States;
(10) the term ``Tribal Colleges and Universities'' has the
meaning given the term in section 316 of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c); and
(11) the term ``Tribal organization'' has the meaning given the
term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)).
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.