[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 106 (Thursday, June 17, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4630-S4633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
______
SENATE RESOLUTION 274--DESIGNATING JULY 24, 2021, AS ``NATIONAL DAY OF
THE AMERICAN COWBOY''
Mr. BARRASSO (for himself, Mr. Tester, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Hoeven, Mr.
Cramer, Mr. Thune, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Risch, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Inhofe, and
Mr. Marshall) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on the Judiciary:
S. Res. 274
Whereas pioneering men and women, recognized as
``cowboys'', helped to establish the American West;
Whereas the cowboy embodies honesty, integrity, courage,
compassion, respect, a strong work ethic, and patriotism;
Whereas the cowboy spirit exemplifies strength of
character, sound family values, and good common sense;
Whereas the cowboy archetype transcends ethnicity, gender,
geographic boundaries, and political affiliations;
Whereas the cowboy, who lives off the land and works to
protect and enhance the environment, is an excellent steward
of the land and its creatures;
Whereas cowboy traditions have been a part of American
culture for generations;
Whereas the cowboy continues to be an important part of the
economy through the work of many thousands of ranchers across
the United States who contribute to the economic well-being
of every State;
Whereas millions of fans watch professional and working
ranch rodeo events annually, making rodeo one of the most-
watched sports in the United States;
Whereas membership and participation in rodeo and other
organizations that promote and encompass the livelihood of
cowboys span every generation and transcend race and gender;
Whereas the cowboy is a central figure in literature, film,
and music and occupies a central place in the public
imagination;
Whereas the cowboy is an American icon; and
Whereas the ongoing contributions made by cowboys and
cowgirls to their communities should be recognized and
encouraged: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates July 24, 2021, as ``National Day of the
American Cowboy''; and
(2) encourages the people of the United States to observe
the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
F_____
SENATE RESOLUTION 275--ACKNOWLEDGING AND APOLOGIZING FOR THE
MISTREATMENT OF, AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST, LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL,
AND TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVED THE UNITED STATES IN THE ARMED
FORCES, THE FOREIGN SERVICE, AND THE FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE
Mr. KAINE (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Markey, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr.
Wyden, Mr. Booker, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Mr. Casey, Mr.
Whitehouse, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Rosen, Mr.
Coons, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. Cardin) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred
[[Page S4631]]
to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.:
S. Res. 275
Whereas the Federal Government discriminated against and
terminated hundreds of thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender (referred to in this preamble as ``LGBT'')
individuals who served the United States in the Armed Forces,
the Foreign Service, and the Federal civil service (referred
to in this preamble as ``civilian employees'') for decades,
causing untold harm to those individuals professionally,
financially, socially, and medically, among other harms;
Whereas Congress enacted legislation, led oversight
hearings, and issued reports and public pronouncements
against LGBT military service members, Foreign Service
members, and civilian employees;
Whereas the policy that led to the discharge and systematic
screening of gay, lesbian, and bisexual military service
members was codified in a 1949 decree by the newly-
consolidated Department of Defense, which mandated that
``homosexual personnel, irrespective of sex, should not be
permitted to serve in any branch of the Armed Forces in any
capacity and prompt separation of known homosexuals from the
Armed Forces is mandatory'';
Whereas the Federal Government maintained policies to drive
hundreds of thousands of LGBT military service members, who
honorably served the United States in uniform, including many
who were fighting in wars around the world, from its military
ranks;
Whereas, in 1993, Congress enacted the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (Public Law 103-160;
107 Stat. 1547), which contained the so-called ``Don't Ask,
Don't Tell'' policy that prohibited lesbian, gay, and
bisexual military service members from disclosing their
sexual orientation while they served in the Armed Forces;
Whereas, despite the ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy, LGBT
military service members continued to be investigated and
discharged solely on the basis of the sexual orientation of
those military service members;
Whereas historians have estimated that at least 100,000
military service members were forced out of the Armed Forces
between World War II and 2011 simply for being LGBT, while
countless others were forced to hide their identities and
live in fear while serving;
Whereas, although the ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy was
intended to allow qualified citizens to serve in the Armed
Forced regardless of their sexual orientation, the policy was
inherently discriminatory against LGBT military service
members because it prohibited those service members from
disclosing their sexual orientation;
Whereas, with the enactment of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Repeal Act of 2010 (10 U.S.C. 654 note; Public Law 111-321),
Congress joined military leaders in acknowledging that
lesbian, gay, and bisexual military service members serve the
United States just as bravely and well as other military
service members;
Whereas the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 (10
U.S.C. 654 note; Public Law 111-321) and the 2016 policy
shift of the Department of Defense, which permitted
transgender individuals to enlist and openly serve in the
Armed Forces, has made the Armed Forces stronger and more
effective;
Whereas military leaders have likewise acknowledged that,
in addition to lesbian, gay, and bisexual military service
members, transgender service members also serve the United
States just as bravely and well as other service members;
Whereas, under the pressures of the Cold War, and at the
instigation and lead of Congress, the Federal Government also
pursued anti-LGBT policies, which resulted in tens of
thousands of LGBT civilian employees being terminated;
Whereas the Department of State began investigations into
employees for alleged homosexual activity as early as the
1940s;
Whereas following Senator Joseph McCarthy's targeting of
gay employees in the Department of State in 1950, the Senate
held hearings on ``The Employment of Homosexuals and other
Sex Perverts in the Government'', which--
(1) led to the issuance of a widely read report that
falsely asserted that gay people posed a security risk
because they could be easily blackmailed; and
(2) found that gay people were unsuitable employees because
``one homosexual can pollute a Government office'';
Whereas, in response to Senator McCarthy's allegations
against gay people, the Department of State increased its
persecution of lesbian, gay, and bisexual employees;
Whereas more than 1,000 Department of State employees were
dismissed due to their sexual orientation, and many more
individuals were prevented from joining the Department of
State due to discriminatory hiring practices;
Whereas thousands of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals
served honorably in the Department of State as Foreign
Service officers, Foreign Service specialists, civil
servants, and contractors, upholding the values, and
advancing the interests, of the United States even as the
country discriminated against them;
Whereas the effort to purge gay and lesbian employees from
the Federal Government was codified in 1953 when President
Dwight D. Eisenhower issued Executive Order 10450 (18 Fed.
Reg. 2489; relating to security requirements for Government
employment), which--
(1) defined ``perversion'' as a security threat; and
(2) mandated that every civilian employee and contractor
pass a security clearance;
Whereas, over many decades, the Federal Government, led by
security officials in the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
the Civil Service Commission (referred to in this preamble as
the ``CSC''), and nearly every other agency of the Federal
Government, investigated, harassed, interrogated, and
terminated thousands of lesbian, gay, and bisexual civilian
employees for no other reason than the sexual orientation of
those employees;
Whereas these discriminatory policies by the Federal
Government, the largest employer in the United States,
encouraged similar efforts at the State and local level,
particularly in higher education and the private sector;
Whereas, in 1969, the United States Court of Appeals for
the District of Columbia Circuit ruled in Norton v. Macy, 417
F.2d 1161 (1969) that--
(1) ``homosexual conduct'' may never be the sole cause for
dismissal of a protected civilian employee; and
(2) the potential embarrassment stemming from the private
conduct of a civilian employee may not affect the efficiency
of the Federal civil service;
Whereas, despite the decision in Norton v. Macy, the CSC
continued its efforts to rid the Federal Government of gay,
lesbian, and bisexual employees until 1973, when the United
States District Court for the Northern District of California
ruled in Society for Individual Rights, Inc. v. Hampton, 63
F.R.D. 399 (1973) that the exclusion or discharge from
Federal civil service of any lesbian, gay, or bisexual person
because of prejudice was prohibited;
Whereas many Federal Government agencies, including the
National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency,
and the Department of State, none of which were subject to
the rules of the CSC, continued to harass and seek to exclude
lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals from their ranks until
1995, when President Bill Clinton issued Executive Order
12968 (50 U.S.C. 3161 note; relating to access to classified
information), which barred the practice of denying a Federal
Government security clearance solely on the basis of sexual
orientation;
Whereas transgender military service members, Foreign
Service members, and civilian employees continued to be
harassed and excluded from Federal civil service until 2014,
when President Barack Obama issued Executive Order 13672 (79
Fed. Reg. 42971; relating to further amendments to Executive
Order 11478, Equal Employment Opportunity in the Federal
Government, and Executive Order 11246, Equal Employment
Opportunity), which prohibited the Federal Government and
Federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of
sexual orientation or gender identity;
Whereas, on January 9, 2017, Secretary of State John Kerry
issued a formal apology for the pattern of discrimination
against LGBT Foreign Service members and civilian employees
at the Department of State;
Whereas, despite persecution and systematic mistreatment by
the Federal Government beginning in the early 1940s though
the 1990s, including what historians have labeled as the
``Lavender Scare'', LGBT individuals have never stopped
honorably serving the United States;
Whereas LGBT individuals continued to make significant
contributions to the United States through their work as
clerks and lawyers, surgeons and nurses, Purple Heart
recipients and Navy Seals, translators and air traffic
controllers, engineers and astronomers, teachers and
diplomats, rangers and Postal Service workers, and advisors
and policy makers;
Whereas other countries throughout the world, including
some of the closest allies of the United States, have
apologized for similarly discriminating against LGBT military
service members, Foreign Service members, and civilian
employees; and
Whereas, in order for the United States to heal and move
forward, the Federal Government must accord all LGBT
individuals who were discriminated against by, wrongfully
terminated by, and excluded from serving in the Armed Forces,
the Foreign Service, and the Federal civil service the same
acknowledgment and apology: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved,
SECTION 1. ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
The Senate--
(1) acknowledges and condemns the discrimination against,
wrongful termination of, and exclusion from the Federal civil
service, the Foreign Service, and the Armed Forces of the
thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
(referred to in this section as ``LGBT'') individuals who
were affected by the anti-LGBT policies of the Federal
Government;
(2) on behalf of the United States, apologizes to--
(A) the affected LGBT military service members, Foreign
Service members, veterans, and Federal civil service
employees; and
(B) the families of those service members, veterans, and
Federal civil service employees; and
(3) reaffirms the commitment of the Federal Government to
treat all military service
[[Page S4632]]
members, Foreign Service members, veterans, and Federal civil
service employees and retirees, including LGBT individuals,
with equal respect and fairness.
SEC. 2. DISCLAIMER.
Nothing in this resolution--
(1) authorizes or supports any claim against the United
States; or
(2) serves as a settlement of any claim against the United
States.
Mr. KAINE. Mr. President. Senator Baldwin and I are pleased to
introduce a resolution that acknowledges and apologizes for the
mistreatment of and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender (LBGT) individuals who have served our nation as civil
servants or members of the Armed Forces and Foreign Service. This
systemic mistreatment and discrimination of members of the LGBT
community began as early as the 1940s and continued well into the 1990s
and is often termed as the Lavender Scare by historians. During this
time, it is estimated that 100,000 service members were forced out of
the Armed Forces between World War II and 2011. In addition, more than
1,000 State Department employees were dismissed due to their alleged
sexual orientation, and many more were prevented from serving due to
discriminatory hiring practices.
Policies such as the 1949 decree by the Department of Defense
mandating that ``homosexual personnel, irrespective of sex, should not
be permitted to serve in any branch of the Armed Forces'' led to the
mass discharge and systemic screening of gay, lesbian, and bisexual
military service members. Similar policies within the State Department
followed led to mass dismissals and terminations of Foreign Service and
civil service employees. Subsequently, policies were enacted across the
Federal government targeting members of the LGBT community. To this
day, historians do not know the exact number of people impacted.
However, despite these harmful and discriminatory policies, LGBT people
continued to faithfully serve and make significant contributions to the
United States, many of whom became clerks and lawyers, surgeons and
nurses, Purple Heart recipients and Navy Seals, translators and air
traffic controllers, engineers and astronomers, teachers and diplomats,
and rangers and postal workers.
It is time to acknowledge the harm caused to these Americans, their
families, and our country by depriving LGBT people of the right to
serve as federal civil servants, diplomats, or in the Armed Services.
This Senate resolution takes a stand on the side of respect for LBGT
Americans who have served our nation and reaffirms our commitment to
treat all public servants with fairness and equality, regardless of
their sexual orientation or gender identity. I'm proud to introduce
this Senate resolution during Pride Month to reaffirm our nation's
commitment to treat everyone, including LGBT Americans, with equal
respect and fairness. I will continue working toward advancing equality
for all LGBT people in Virginia and across our nation.
Thank you, Mr. President.
F_____
SENATE RESOLUTION 276--CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA GATORS
FOR WINNING THE 2021 NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION DIVISION
I MEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP
Mr. RUBIO (for himself and Mr. Scott of Florida) submitted the
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
S. Res. 276
Whereas, on May 22, 2021, the University of Florida Gators
Men's Tennis Team (referred to in this preamble as the
``Gators'') won the 2021 National Collegiate Athletic
Association (referred to in this preamble as the ``NCAA'')
Division I Men's Tennis Championship;
Whereas the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship
is the first NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship the
Gators have won;
Whereas the Gators defeated Baylor University's Men's
Tennis Team in the NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship;
Whereas this marks the 42nd national title for the
University of Florida Gators Athletics programs;
Whereas men's tennis is the 15th sport in which the
University of Florida has won a national title;
Whereas the University of Florida is 1 of 2 programs in the
Nation to win at least 1 national championship in every fully
contested season since the 2008-2009 season;
Whereas the championship victory clinching match was won by
Ben Shelton, son of Gators Head Coach Bryan Shelton;
Whereas Gators player Blaise Bicknell--
(1) holds a perfect record in dual matches in his career;
and
(2) is the fourth player in Gators history to go undefeated
in dual matches;
Whereas Gators Head Coach Bryan Shelton--
(1) is the fifth coach across all NCAA sports to coach a
men's and women's national championship winning team; and
(2) the first coach in NCAA history to lead a men's program
and women's program to a NCAA Division I Tennis Championship;
and
Whereas the following entire Gator roster and coaching
staff contributed to the NCAA Division I Men's Tennis
Championship victory: Associate Head Coach Tanner Stump,
Volunteer Assistant Coach Scott Perelman, and student
athletes Andy Andrade, Brian Berdusco, Blaise Bicknell, Josh
Goodger, Will Grant, Lukas Greif, Johannes Ingildsen, Sam
Riffice, Ben Shelton, and Duarte Vale: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) congratulates the University of Florida Gators Men's
Tennis Team and the students, alumni, faculty, staff, and
trustees of the University of Florida, for winning the 2021
National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Men's
Tennis Championship; and
(2) respectfully directs the Secretary of the Senate to
transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to--
(A) the President of the University of Florida, Kent Fuchs;
(B) the Athletic Director of the University of Florida,
Scott Stricklin; and
(C) the Head Coach of the University of Florida Gators
Men's Tennis Team, Bryan Shelton.
F_____
SENATE RESOLUTION 277--CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
REBELS WOMEN'S GOLF TEAM ON WINNING THE 2021 NATIONAL COLLEGIATE
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION DIVISION I WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
Mr. WICKER (for himself and Mrs. Hyde-Smith) submitted the following
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
S. Res. 277
Whereas, on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, the University of
Mississippi Rebels Women's golf team won the 2021 National
Collegiate Athletic Association (referred to in this preamble
as the ``NCAA'') Division I women's golf championship at
Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona;
Whereas, on winning the 2021 NCAA Division I women's golf
championship, the University of Mississippi women's golf team
became the first women's team in University history to win an
NCAA national championship;
Whereas the University of Mississippi women's golf team
claimed the first NCAA national championship in a team sport
for the University since the football team won the 1962 NCAA
Division I football championship;
Whereas the appearance of the University of Mississippi
women's golf team in the NCAA Division I women's golf
championship was the first appearance in an NCAA national
championship game for an athletics team of the University
since 1995;
Whereas the University of Mississippi women's golf team
defeated the second place Oklahoma State University Cowgirls
4-1 in match play;
Whereas Chiarra Tamburlini secured a 6-and-5 win, the
largest margin of victory in NCAA championship match history;
Whereas the University of Mississippi women's golf team was
under the leadership of 2020 Southeastern Conference
(referred to in this preamble as the ``SEC'') Coach of the
Year Kory Henkes and Assistant Coach Zack Byrd;
Whereas Coach Kory Henkes has led the University of
Mississippi women's golf team to incredible success during
her 6 seasons at the helm, including last season, when she
led the program to 4 team tournament titles and set the
record for most wins in a single season;
Whereas Julia Johnson was named a first-team All-American
and first-team All-SEC;
Whereas Kennedy Swann was named second-team All-SEC, with
the national championship bringing her career record in match
play to 10-2;
Whereas members of the University of Mississippi women's
golf team have been honored by various awards throughout the
2020-2021 season, including the selection of Julia Johnson to
represent the United States in the Arnold Palmer Cup;
Whereas the University of Mississippi now boasts 26 total
NCAA national championships;
Whereas the University of Mississippi women's golf team was
ranked 5th in the United States by Golfweek and the Golfstat
Team Rankings;
Whereas the University of Mississippi women's golf team,
composed of Julia Johnson, Kennedy Swann, Chiarra Tamburlini,
and teammates McKinley Cunningham, Ellen Hume, Ellen
Hutchinson-Kay, Andrea Lignell, Macy Somoskey, and Smilla
Sonderby displayed outstanding dedication, teamwork, and
sportsmanship throughout the 2020-2021 season; and
[[Page S4633]]
Whereas the University of Mississippi women's golf team has
brought great pride and honor--
(1) to the University of Mississippi;
(2) to loyal fans of the University of Mississippi; and
(3) to the entire State of Mississippi: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) congratulates the University of Mississippi women's
golf team, including the athletes, coaches, faculty,
students, and alumni of the University of Mississippi, on
winning the 2021 National Collegiate Athletic Association
Division I women's golf championship;
(2) recognizes the University of Mississippi for its
excellence as an institution of higher education; and
(3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate
transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to--
(A) the Chancellor of the University of Mississippi, Dr.
Glenn Boyce;
(B) the Athletic Director of the University of Mississippi,
Keith Carter; and
(C) the head coach of the University of Mississippi women's
golf team, Kory Henkes.
F_____
SENATE RESOLUTION 278--RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNITED
SPINAL ASSOCIATION, A LEADING NATIONAL ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION THAT IS
DEDICATED TO PROMOTING THE INDEPENDENCE AND ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF
LIFE OF ALL PEOPLE LIVING WITH SPINAL CORD INJURIES AND NEUROLOGICAL
DISORDERS, INCLUDING VETERANS, AND PROVIDING SUPPORT AND INFORMATION TO
THEIR LOVED ONES, CARE PROVIDERS, AND PERSONAL SUPPORT NETWORKS
Mr. CASEY (for himself and Mr. Moran) submitted the following
resolution; which was considered and agreed to.:
S. Res. 278
Whereas, in 1946, a group of returning veterans from World
War II in New York, New York, formed the organization now
known as United Spinal Association to address the needs of
paralyzed veterans;
Whereas, in 1948, members of this organization advocated
for and secured the first accessible housing bill in the
United States (the Act of June 19, 1948 (62 Stat. 500; Public
Law 80-702)), which provided Federal funds for the building
of accessible homes for paralyzed veterans;
Whereas, in 1968, members of this organization advocated
for the passage of the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (42
U.S.C. 4151 et seq.), which guarantees equal access to
federally-funded buildings and facilities for wheelchair
users and all people of the United States with disabilities;
Whereas, in 1970, James J. Peters, who would later lead
United Spinal Association, exposed the deplorable conditions
that paralyzed Vietnam veterans faced at the Bronx Veterans
Administration Hospital with an article in LIFE magazine,
leading the Veterans Administration to establish a national
spinal cord injury service office to address the needs of
paralyzed veterans and the renovation of the Bronx Veterans
Administration Hospital, which was later named for Peters;
Whereas, in 1985, New York City settled a lawsuit initiated
by United Spinal Association, agreeing to make all city
buses, key subway stations and commuter rail stations, and
all new transit stations accessible to wheelchair users, and
New York City established a paratransit system for people
unable to use mass transit, leading to a model that would be
incorporated as part of the transportation provisions of the
landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et
seq.);
Whereas, regardless of a person's level of abilities,
United Spinal Association seeks to build an inclusive world
that--
(1) removes barriers, particularly for wheelchair users;
(2) embraces the talents of all people with disabilities to
achieve their full potential; and
(3) provides people with disabilities equal opportunities
to pursue their interests and dreams;
Whereas United Spinal Association continues to support and
advocate on behalf of more than 2,000,000 people in the
United States living with spinal cord injuries or
neurological disorders, as well as veterans, through--
(1) proven programs and services, and nurturing innovative
self-reliance, advocacy, and leadership;
(2) empowering its members, their loved ones, care
providers, and stakeholders with resources, one-on-one
assistance, and peer support;
(3) promoting independence through employment opportunities
and inclusion into mainstream society; and
(4) advocating for greater disability rights, including
access to health care, rehabilitation, mobility equipment,
transportation, community services, and the built
environment; and
Whereas the legacy of James J. Peters, who once described
the straightforward strategy in advocating for people in the
United States with disabilities as simply refusing to accept
no for an answer, is alive and well throughout United Spinal
Association: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes that throughout 75 years of service, United
Spinal Association has made significant contributions to the
lives of people in the United States with disabilities,
including veterans;
(2) honors United Spinal Association for its continued role
in supporting and advocating for people with spinal cord
injuries and neurological disorders, as well as all veterans;
and
(3) commemorates 2021 as the 75th anniversary of the
founding of United Spinal Association.
F_____
SENATE RESOLUTION 279--DESIGNATING JUNE 21, 2021 THROUGH JUNE 25, 2021,
AS ``NATIONAL CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION WEEK''
Ms. ROSEN (for herself and Mr. Cassidy) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.:
S. Res. 279
Whereas, according to a 2017 projection, the United States
will face a shortage of 1,800,000 cybersecurity workers by
2022;
Whereas recent cyberattacks on the United States have
highlighted the cybersecurity workforce shortage in the
United States that--
(1) poses a threat to the national security of the United
States;
(2) jeopardizes the economy of the United States;
(3) puts the digital privacy of the United States at risk;
and
(4) threatens the critical infrastructure of the United
States;
Whereas expanding cybersecurity education opportunities is
important to address the cybersecurity workforce shortage and
prepare the United States for ongoing and future national
security threats;
Whereas cybersecurity education can provide learning and
career opportunities for kindergarten through grade 12
students across the United States, as well as bolster the
capacity of the domestic workforce to defend the United Sates
and secure the economy of the United States;
Whereas, in 2020, introduced as part of the Providing
Resources for Ongoing Training and Education in Cyber
Technologies Act of 2020 and enacted as part of the William
M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283), Congress authorized
the Cybersecurity Education Training Assistance Program, a
Department of Homeland Security initiative to provide
cybersecurity career awareness, curricular resources, and
professional development to elementary and secondary schools;
and
Whereas ensuring access to cybersecurity education for all
students in the United States regardless of race, ethnicity,
socioeconomic status, or geographic location will expand
opportunities for good-paying jobs in high-demand fields:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates June 21, 2021 through June 25, 2021, as
``National Cybersecurity Education Week'';
(2) encourages the people of the United States to
acknowledge the importance of cybersecurity education;
(3) encourages educational and training institutions to
increase the understanding and awareness of cybersecurity
education at such institutions; and
(4) commits to--
(A) raising awareness about cybersecurity education; and
(B) taking legislative actions to address cybersecurity
education expansion and address the cybersecurity workforce
shortage.
____________________