[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 83 (Monday, May 16, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4976-H4978]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PRESIDENT'S CUP CYBERSECURITY COMPETITION ACT
Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 6824) to authorize the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure
Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security to hold an
annual cybersecurity competition relating to offensive and defensive
cybersecurity disciplines, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 6824
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 ``President's Cup
Cybersecurity Competition Act''.
SEC. 2. PRESIDENT'S CUP CYBERSECURITY COMPETITION.
(a) In General.--The Director of the Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency (in this section referred to
as the ``Director'') of the Department of Homeland Security
is authorized to hold an annual cybersecurity competition to
be known as the ``Department of Homeland Security
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's
President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition'' (in this section
referred to as the ``competition'') for the purpose of
identifying, challenging, and competitively awarding prizes,
including cash prizes, to the United States Government's best
cybersecurity practitioners and teams across offensive and
defensive cybersecurity disciplines.
(b) Competition Design.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31,
United States Code, the Director, in carrying out the
competition, may consult with, and consider advice from, any
person who has experience or expertise in the development,
design, or execution of cybersecurity competitions.
(2) Limitation.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5
U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to consultations pursuant to
this section.
(3) Prohibition.--A person with whom the Director consults
under paragraph (1) may not--
(A) receive pay by reason of being so consulted; or
(B) be considered an employee of the Federal Government by
reason of so consulting.
(c) Eligibility.--To be eligible to participate in the
competition, an individual shall be a Federal civilian
employee or member of the uniformed services (as such term is
defined in section 2101(3) of title 5, United States Code)
and shall comply with any rules promulgated by the Director
regarding the competition.
(d) Competition Administration.--The Director may enter
into a grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or other
agreement with a private sector for-profit or nonprofit
entity or State or local government agency to administer the
competition.
(e) Competition Parameters.--Each competition shall
incorporate the following elements:
(1) Cybersecurity skills outlined in the National
Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Framework, or any
successor framework.
(2) Individual and team events.
(3) Categories demonstrating offensive and defensive cyber
operations, such as software reverse engineering and
exploitation, network operations, forensics, big data
analysis, cyber analysis, cyber defense, cyber exploitation,
secure programming, obfuscated coding, or cyber-physical
systems.
(4) Any other elements related to paragraphs (1), (2), or
(3) as determined necessary by the Director.
(f) Use of Funds.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, the Director may use amounts made available to the
Director for the competition for the following:
(A) Advertising, marketing, and promoting the competition.
(B) Meals for participants and organizers of the
competition if attendance at the meal during the competition
is necessary to maintain the integrity of the competition.
(C) Promotional items, including merchandise and apparel.
(D) Monetary and nonmonetary awards for competition
participants, including members of the uniformed services.
(E) Necessary expenses for the honorary recognition of
competition participants, including members of the uniformed
services.
(F) Any other appropriate activity necessary to carry out
the competition, as determined by the Director.
(2) Application.--This subsection shall apply to amounts
appropriated on or after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(g) Prize Limitation.--The Director may make one or more
awards per competition, except that the amount or value of
each shall not exceed $10,000. The Secretary of Homeland
Security may make one or more awards per competition, except
the amount or the value of each shall not to exceed $25,000.
A monetary award under this section shall be in addition to
the regular pay of the recipient.
(h) Reporting Requirements.--The Director shall annually
provide to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report that includes the
following:
(1) A description of available funds under subsection (f)
for each competition conducted in the preceding year.
(2) A description of expenditures authorized in subsection
(g) for each competition.
(3) Information relating to the participation of each
competition.
(4) Information relating to lessons learned from each
competition and how such lessons may be applied to improve
cybersecurity operations and recruitment of the Cybersecurity
and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of
Homeland Security.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Malinowski) and the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. LaTurner)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
[[Page H4977]]
Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, before I begin debate on today's legislation, I will
take a moment to acknowledge the tragic, bloody events of this weekend
in Milwaukee, Buffalo, and Orange County, California. The loss of life
and extent of injury to innocent people, as we all know, are
staggering.
These incidents are all under investigation but, from a homeland
security perspective, I will zero in, in particular, on the events in
New York where we have, I think, a fairly good picture of what
motivated a man to gun down innocent people, an event that has happened
too many times in recent history in our country.
This young man clearly was motivated by an idea, a hateful idea and a
racist idea, and one that is sadly familiar to us. It is the same idea
that motivated another man to gun down African Americans in Charleston,
South Carolina. It is the same idea that motivated yet another man to
gun down Hispanic Americans in El Paso, Texas. It is the same idea that
motivated another man to gun down Jewish Americans in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania.
It is an idea that spreads on the internet. But it doesn't just
spread organically. Social media companies write algorithms
deliberately designed to connect people who are susceptible to this
hateful idea to others who may be propagating it. It is an idea that
sadly is sometimes amplified and legitimized by political leaders and
media personalities in our country.
We have a domestic terrorism problem in America. We all understand
that on the Homeland Security Committee. If this problem was coming
from outside the United States, it would be easy for us to come
together to deal with it.
Imagine if after the September 11 attacks there were cable news hosts
who night after night propagated ideas straight from al-Qaida's
propaganda materials. We wouldn't tolerate it. Nobody would for one
moment think that was acceptable in the United States of America. But
because it is a domestic problem rooted in our own society, it is
harder. We have to find a way to come together, nonetheless.
I think there are two kinds of leaders in America today, not
Democrat, Republican, liberal, or conservative. There are leaders who,
when they see a fire burning, they reach for a bucket of water to put
it out. And there are leaders who, when they see a fire burning, reach
for a can of gasoline to make that fire burn even more. We desperately
need leaders in this country, of both political parties, who will try
to calm things down and who will tamp down these horrible, hateful
ideas, whether they are coming from the left or the right, wherever
they are coming from, because these ideas are leading to people being
gunned down in our country. It is unacceptable, and it has to stop.
Mr. Speaker, let's turn to the legislation before us today.
Mr. Speaker, as a nation, we are fortunate to have so many dedicated
public servants who work for our Federal Government and help keep us
safe. Unfortunately, they frequently go without the recognition they
deserve for their hard work. The President's Cup Cybersecurity
Competition Act authorizes an innovative prize competition where cyber
talent within the ranks of Federal departments and agencies is honored.
Today, it is critical to our homeland and national security that the
Federal Government attract, develop, and retain dedicated and talented
employees to carry out cybersecurity and cyber defense activities. It
is not lost on me that, by choosing to work for the government rather
than the private sector, these in-demand professionals often forgo more
lucrative career opportunities.
H.R. 6824 would authorize the cyber competition that CISA hosts and
ensure that financial awards can be provided to the winning individuals
and teams in recognition of their achievement. In the short period of
time that the President's Cup has been around, it has become a much-
sought-after prize among talented Federal cyber practitioners, many of
whom are civilians or active military. By permanently authorizing this
competition, Congress can ensure that it remains a vital part of our
strategy to identify, retain, and reward the best cybersecurity talent
in the Federal Government.
Mr. Speaker, I applaud Representative Luria for her leadership in
authoring this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6824, the President's
Cup Cybersecurity Competition Act.
Mr. Speaker, you merely have to turn on the news to hear about the
latest ransomware problem that continues to vex our country. According
to research funded by the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, there is a deficit of almost half a million cybersecurity
employees in the U.S. Now more than ever, it is critical that the
Federal Government provide cybersecurity education and pathways to
Federal employment and make Federal retention of this limited skill set
a priority.
One very important effort is underpinned by the President's Cup
Cybersecurity Competition Act. CISA launched the first President's Cup
Cybersecurity Act in 2019, as a national cybersecurity competition for
both individuals and teams, aiming to identify, challenge, and reward
the best cybersecurity talent in the Federal workforce.
This bill grants CISA the authority to fully implement the
cybersecurity competition with certain parameters and provide prizes to
winning individuals and teams. By codifying the cybersecurity
competition, we further incentivize a skilled cybersecurity workforce.
We also signal that Congress is committed to addressing Federal
cybersecurity recruitment and retention challenges.
Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to join me in supporting H.R. 6824, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close.
Mr. Speaker, the President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition has been
an important part of our strategy to support a strong Federal
cybersecurity workforce in recent years. Unfortunately, without
congressional authorization, it lacks the stability it needs. So thanks
to this legislation, authored by my committee colleague, Representative
Luria, we have the opportunity to authorize and preserve a key
retention tool in the Federal toolbox to ensure that talented Federal
cyber professionals get the recognition they deserve.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6824, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mrs. LURIA. Mr. Speaker, a critical element of strengthening our
nation's cybersecurity is ensuring the Federal government employs the
best and the brightest with the most advanced cybersecurity skills.
Whether at CISA, our intelligence agencies, our military, or at other
departments across the Federal government, cybersecurity professionals
play an essential role in keeping our nation safe, and we must
prioritize their recruitment, development, and retention.
Unfortunately, it has been challenging to compete with the private
sector for cyber talent, so we must look to creative ways to strengthen
the Federal cyber workforce.
The President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition is one innovative part
of that effort.
Organized by CISA, this annual cybersecurity competition brings
together cybersecurity professionals, both civilian and military, from
across the Federal government to compete in a series of challenges that
test a wide range of cybersecurity skills.
My legislation would authorize this competition to ensure it remains
part of our Federal cyber workforce strategy and grants CISA the
necessary authorities to fully carry out the program.
Importantly, it addresses legal barriers that have prevented CISA
from directly providing cash prizes to winning teams and individuals
that work in other departments or agencies.
H.R. 6824 specifically authorizes CISA to confer cash prizes to the
winners, many of whom are in the military, for their achievement.
By passing this legislation, we demonstrate our commitment to further
developing a competitive and highly skilled Federal cybersecurity
workforce.
I thank Representatives Connolly and Garbarino for cosponsoring this
bill, and Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Katko for their support
for authorizing this important program.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan bill
and look forward to working with them to get it enacted into law.
[[Page H4978]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6824, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
____________________