[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 150 (Wednesday, December 10, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6486-S6487]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CIRDA ACT OF 2014
Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from
further consideration of H.R. 2952 and the Senate proceed to its
immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The clerk will report the bill by title.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (H.R. 2952) to amend the Homeland Security Act of
2002 to make certain improvements in the laws relating to the
advancement of security technologies for critical
infrastructure protection, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mrs. BOXER. I ask unanimous consent that the Carper substitute
amendment be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time, and
the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, as amended.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 4001) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to,
as follows:
(Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Cybersecurity Workforce
Assessment Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act--
(1) the term ``Cybersecurity Category'' means a position's
or incumbent's primary work function involving cybersecurity,
which is further defined by Specialty Area;
(2) the term ``Department'' means the Department of
Homeland Security;
(3) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Homeland
Security; and
(4) the term ``Specialty Area'' means any of the common
types of cybersecurity work as recognized by the National
Initiative for Cybersecurity Education's National
Cybersecurity Workforce Framework report.
SEC. 3. CYBERSECURITY WORKFORCE ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGY.
(a) Workforce Assessment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 3 years,
the Secretary shall assess the cybersecurity workforce of the
Department.
(2) Contents.--The assessment required under paragraph (1)
shall include, at a minimum--
(A) an assessment of the readiness and capacity of the
workforce of the Department to meet its cybersecurity
mission;
(B) information on where cybersecurity workforce positions
are located within the Department;
[[Page S6487]]
(C) information on which cybersecurity workforce positions
are--
(i) performed by--
(I) permanent full-time equivalent employees of the
Department, including, to the greatest extent practicable,
demographic information about such employees;
(II) independent contractors; and
(III) individuals employed by other Federal agencies,
including the National Security Agency; or
(ii) vacant; and
(D) information on--
(i) the percentage of individuals within each Cybersecurity
Category and Specialty Area who received essential training
to perform their jobs; and
(ii) in cases in which such essential training was not
received, what challenges, if any, were encountered with
respect to the provision of such essential training.
(b) Workforce Strategy.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
(A) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act, develop a comprehensive workforce strategy to
enhance the readiness, capacity, training, recruitment, and
retention of the cybersecurity workforce of the Department;
and
(B) maintain and, as necessary, update the comprehensive
workforce strategy developed under subparagraph (A).
(2) Contents.--The comprehensive workforce strategy
developed under paragraph (1) shall include a description
of--
(A) a multi-phased recruitment plan, including with respect
to experienced professionals, members of disadvantaged or
underserved communities, the unemployed, and veterans;
(B) a 5-year implementation plan;
(C) a 10-year projection of the cybersecurity workforce
needs of the Department;
(D) any obstacle impeding the hiring and development of a
cybersecurity workforce in the Department; and
(E) any gap in the existing cybersecurity workforce of the
Department and a plan to fill any such gap.
(c) Updates.--The Secretary submit to the appropriate
congressional committees annual updates on--
(1) the cybersecurity workforce assessment required under
subsection (a); and
(2) the progress of the Secretary in carrying out the
comprehensive workforce strategy required to be developed
under subsection (b).
SEC. 4. CYBERSECURITY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on the feasibility, cost,
and benefits of establishing a Cybersecurity Fellowship
Program to offer a tuition payment plan for individuals
pursuing undergraduate and doctoral degrees who agree to work
for the Department for an agreed-upon period of time.
The amendment was ordered to be engrossed, and the bill to be read a
third time.
The bill was read the third time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill having been read the third time, the
question is, Shall the bill pass?
The bill (H.R. 2952), as amended, was passed.
Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Carper
title amendment be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or
debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The title amendment (No. 4002) was agreed to, as follows:
(Purpose: To amend the title)
Amend the title so as to read: ``To require the Secretary
of Homeland Security to assess the cybersecurity workforce of
the Department of Homeland Security and develop a
comprehensive workforce strategy, and for other purposes.''.
Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.
____________________