[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 148 (Monday, September 23, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5596-H5597]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DHS CYBERSECURITY ON-THE-JOB TRAINING PROGRAM ACT
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 3208) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to
establish a DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program, and for
other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3208
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 ``DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job
Training Program Act''.
SEC. 2. DHS CYBERSECURITY ON-THE-JOB TRAINING PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Subtitle A of title XXII of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 141 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 2220F. DHS CYBERSECURITY ON-THE-JOB TRAINING PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--There is established within the Agency a
`DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program' (in this
section referred to as the `Program') to voluntarily train
Department employees who are not currently in a cybersecurity
position for work in matters relating to cybersecurity at the
Department. The Program shall be led by the Director, in
consultation with the Under Secretary for Management.
``(b) Duties of the Director.--In carrying out the Program
under subsection (a), the Director--
``(1) shall develop a curriculum for the Program,
incorporating any existing curricula as appropriate, and
consistent with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity
Education Framework or any successor framework, which may
include distance learning instruction, in-classroom
instruction within a work location, on-the-job instruction
under the supervision of experienced cybersecurity staff, or
other means of training and education as determined
appropriate by the Director;
``(2) shall develop criteria for participation in the
Program;
``(3) in accordance with paragraph (1), shall provide
cybersecurity training to employees of the Department and
may, as appropriate, provide cybersecurity training to other
Federal employees; and
``(4) shall annually for seven years submit 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--
``(A) information relating to the number of employees who
participated in the Program in the preceding year;
``(B) an identification of the positions into which
employees trained through the Program were hired after such
training;
``(C) a description of metrics used to measure the success
of the Program;
``(D) copies of the reports submitted pursuant to (c)(1);
and
``(E) any additional information relating to the duties
specified in this subsection.
``(c) Duties of the Under Secretary for Management.--In
carrying out the Program under subsection (a), the Under
Secretary for Management shall--
``(1) submit to the Secretary an annual report on the
status of vacancies in cybersecurity positions throughout the
Department;
``(2) support efforts by the Director to identify and
recruit individuals employed by the Department to participate
in the Program;
``(3) implement policies, including continuing service
agreements, to encourage participation in the Program by
employees throughout the Department; and
``(4) conduct outreach to employees who complete the
Program regarding cybersecurity job opportunities within the
Department.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by
inserting after the item relating to section 2220E the
following new item:
``Sec. 2220F. DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Green) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Correa)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
General Leave
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 3208.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3208. The DHS Cybersecurity
On-the-Job Training Program Act will strengthen CISA's role in
providing cybersecurity training to DHS employees not formerly in
cybersecurity positions.
This legislation is reflective of the consistent efforts of its
sponsor, Ms. Jackson Lee, who we all lost just months ago, to improve
DHS. This, I believe, is her last bill. She was a true friend to the
committee and to this Chamber, and I know we will all miss her
presence.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
During Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee's two decades in Congress
serving on the Homeland Security Committee, one of her top priorities
was strengthening our Nation's cyber defenses.
She consistently prioritized expanding our cybersecurity workforce,
recognized that investing in cybersecurity education and training would
make our Nation more secure.
At a time when few Members of Congress were focused on cybersecurity
back in 2005, Congresswoman Jackson Lee introduced the Cybersecurity
Education Enhancement Act to provide funding for expanded cybersecurity
education programs across the country.
With her trademark persistence, Congresswoman Jackson Lee kept on
fighting to expand the talent pool of trained cybersecurity
professionals, most recently with the introduction last year of this
legislation that we are considering today, the DHS Cybersecurity On-
the-Job Training Program Act.
This bill will direct the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security
Agency, or CISA, to provide cybersecurity
[[Page H5597]]
training to Department of Homeland Security existing employees with the
goal of training existing personnel to fill cybersecurity job vacancies
at the Department.
According to testimony before the Homeland Security Committee in
June, there are nearly 2,000 cybersecurity vacancies at DHS today.
With cybersecurity threats from adversaries like Russia and China
only further increasing, filling these vacancies is a national security
imperative.
While DHS has taken important steps to address this challenge,
private-sector competition for talent and the slow Federal hiring
process have continued to hamper our efforts at DHS to eliminate this
shortfall.
Training existing DHS personnel who have already been vetted and
onboarded by the Department is a critical part of ensuring that DHS has
the cybersecurity talent on payroll today to fulfill its critical
cybersecurity mission.
This legislation builds on CISA's existing Federal Cyber Defense
Skilling Academy and ensures that CISA continues its efforts to
leverage cybersecurity expertise to support DHS' broader workforce.
I urge my colleagues to continue Congresswoman Jackson Lee's legacy
on this most important issue and support H.R. 3208.
Across DHS' many component agencies, there is a critical need for
cybersecurity expertise to help defend our homeland.
So long as key cybersecurity positions sit vacant, we are at greater
risk for damaging cyberattacks that expose our sensitive information or
disrupt critical infrastructure.
Passing Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee's legislation will ensure
DHS employees get the training necessary to fill cybersecurity job
vacancies, and also, we will be honoring her legacy of fighting for a
stronger cybersecurity workforce.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3208, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
I, again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3208, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3208.
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. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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