[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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