[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5825-S5826]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 6321. Ms. HASSAN (for herself and Mr. Cornyn) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 5499 submitted by Mr.
Reed (for himself and Mr. Inhofe) and intended to be proposed to the
bill H.R. 7900, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for
military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. PILOT PROGRAM ON CYBERSECURITY TRAINING FOR VETERANS
AND MILITARY SPOUSES.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Evidence-based; work-based learning.--The terms
``evidence-based'' and ``work-based learning'' have the
meanings given those terms in section 3 of the Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C.
2302).
(2) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(3) 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).
(4) Registered apprenticeship program.--The term
``registered apprenticeship program'' means an apprenticeship
registered with the Office of Apprenticeship of the
Employment and Training Administration of the Department of
Labor or a State apprenticeship agency recognized by the
Office of the Apprenticeship pursuant to the Act of August
16, 1937 (commonly known as the ``National Apprenticeship
Act''; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.)
(5) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given
the term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
(b) Establishment.--Not later than 3 years after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security,
in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall
establish a pilot program under which the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall provide cybersecurity training to
eligible individuals described in subsection (d) at no cost
to such individuals.
(c) Elements.--The cybersecurity training provided under
the pilot program established under this section shall be
evidence-based and include--
(1) coursework and training that, if applicable, qualifies
for postsecondary credit toward an associate, baccalaureate,
or graduate degree at an institution of higher education;
(2) virtual learning opportunities;
(3) hands-on learning and performance-based assessments;
(4) Federal work-based learning opportunities and programs
(which may include registered apprenticeship programs); and
(5) the provision of recognized postsecondary credentials
to eligible individuals who complete the pilot program.
(d) Eligibility.--
(1) In general.--To be eligible for the pilot program under
this section, an individual shall be--
(A) a veteran who is entitled to educational assistance
under chapter 30, 32, 33, 34, or 35 of title 38, United
States Code, or chapter 1606 or 1607 of title 10, United
States Code;
(B) a member of an active or a reserve component of the
Armed Forces who the Secretary of Homeland Security
determines will
[[Page S5826]]
become an eligible individual under subparagraph (A) within
180 days of the date of such determination; or
(C) an eligible spouse described in section 1784a(b) of
title 10, United States Code.
(2) No charge to entitlement.--In the case of an individual
described in paragraph (1)(A), training under this section
shall be provided to the individual without charge to the
entitlement of the individual to educational assistance under
the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
(e) Alignment With NICE Workforce Framework for
Cybersecurity.--In carrying out the pilot program under this
section, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure
alignment with the taxonomy, including work roles and
competencies and the associated tasks, knowledge, and skills,
from the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education
Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NIST Special
Publication 800-181, Revision 1), or successor framework.
(f) Coordination.--
(1) Training, platforms, and frameworks.--In developing the
pilot program under this section, the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall coordinate with the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Labor,
the Secretary of Education, the Director of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Director of
the Office of Personnel Management to evaluate and, where
possible, leverage existing training, platforms, and
frameworks of the Federal Government for providing
cybersecurity education and training to prevent duplication
of efforts.
(2) Federal work-based learning opportunities and
programs.--In developing the Federal work-based learning
opportunities and programs required under subsection (c)(4),
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall coordinate with the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, the
Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Education, the Director
of the Office of Personnel Management, and the heads of other
appropriate Federal agencies to identify or create, as
necessary, interagency opportunities to provide participants
in the pilot program with--
(A) opportunities to acquire and demonstrate skills and
competencies; and
(B) the capabilities necessary to qualify for Federal
employment in a cybersecurity work role.
(g) Resources.--
(1) In general.--In any case in which the pilot program--
(A) uses training, platforms, and frameworks described in
subsection (f)(1), the Secretary of Homeland Security, in
consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall
ensure that the trainings, platforms, and frameworks are
expanded and resourced to accommodate usage by eligible
individuals participating in the pilot program; or
(B) does not use training, platforms, and frameworks
described in subsection (f)(1), the Secretary of Homeland
Security, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs and the heads of other Federal agencies described in
subsection (f), shall develop or procure training, platforms,
and frameworks necessary to carry out the requirements of
subsection (c) and accommodate the usage by eligible
individuals participating in the pilot program.
(2) Actions.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary
of Homeland Security may provide additional funding, staff,
or other resources to--
(A) recruit and retain women, underrepresented minorities,
and individuals from other underrepresented communities;
(B) provide administrative support for basic functions of
the pilot program;
(C) ensure the success and ongoing mentoring of eligible
individuals participating in the pilot program;
(D) connect participants who complete the pilot program to
cybersecurity job opportunities within the Federal
Government; and
(E) allocate, if necessary, dedicated positions for term
employment to enable Federal work-based learning
opportunities and programs, as required under subsection
(c)(4), for participants to gain the skills and the
competencies necessary to pursue permanent Federal employment
in a cybersecurity work role.
(h) Reports.--
(1) Secretary.--Not later than 2 years after the date on
which the pilot program is established under this section,
and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security
shall submit to Congress a report on the pilot program, which
shall include--
(A) a description of--
(i) any activity carried out by the Department of Homeland
Security under this section; and
(ii) the existing training, platforms, and frameworks of
the Federal Government leveraged in accordance with
subsection (f)(1); and
(B) an assessment of the results achieved by the pilot
program, including--
(i) the admittance rate into the pilot program;
(ii) the employment status of individuals prior to
participating in the pilot program, including the sector of
employment and type of employer;
(iii) the demographics of participants in the pilot
program, including representation of women, underrepresented
minorities, and individuals from other underrepresented
communities;
(iv) the completion rate for the pilot program, including
if there are any identifiable patterns with respect to
participants who do not complete the pilot program;
(v) as applicable, the transfer rates to other academic or
vocational programs, and certifications and licensure exam
passage rates;
(vi) the rate of continued employment within a Federal
agency for participants after completing the pilot program;
(vii) the rate of continued employment for participants
after completing the pilot program; and
(viii) the median annual salary of participants who
completed the pilot program and were subsequently employed,
disaggregated by the sector of employment and type of
employer and compared to the median annual salary prior to
participation in the pilot program.
(2) Comptroller general.--Not later than 4 years after the
date on which the pilot program is established under this
section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall
submit to Congress a report on the pilot program, including
the recommendation of the Comptroller General with respect to
whether the pilot program should be extended.
(i) Termination.--The authority to carry out the pilot
program under this section shall terminate on the date that
is 5 years after the date on which the Secretary of Homeland
Security establishes the pilot program under this section.
(j) Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Extension.--
Section 304(a) of the Federal Cybersecurity Workforce
Assessment Act of 2015 (5 U.S.C. 301 note) is amended, in the
matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``2022'' and
inserting ``2025''.
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