[House Report 117-413]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
117th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 117-413
======================================================================
ENERGY CYBERSECURITY UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP ACT OF 2022
_______
July 15, 2022.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Ms. Johnson of Texas, from the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 7569]
The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, to whom
was referred the bill (H.R. 7569) to direct the Secretary of
Energy to establish a program to provide financial assistance
to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers pursuing
certain courses of study relating to cybersecurity and energy
infrastructure, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Amendment........................................................
II. Purpose of the Bill.............................................2
III. Background and Need for the Legislation.........................2
IV. Committee Hearings..............................................2
V. Committee Consideration and Votes...............................2
VI. Summary of Major Provisions of the Bill.........................3
VII. Section-by-Section Analysis (By Title and Section)..............3
VIII. Committee Views.................................................3
IX. Cost Estimate...................................................4
X. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate.......................4
XI. Compliance with Public Law 104-4 (Unfunded Mandates)............4
XII. Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations................4
XIII. Statement on General Performance Goals and Objectives...........4
XIV. Federal Advisory Committee Statement............................4
XV. Duplication of Federal Programs.................................4
XVI. Earmark Identification..........................................4
XVII. Applicability to the Legislative Branch.........................4
XVIII.Statement on Preemption of State, Local, or Tribal Law..........4
XIX. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported...........5
XX. Proceedings of Full Committee Markup............................6
II. PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of the bill is to direct the Secretary of
Energy to establish a program to provide financial assistance
to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers pursuing
certain courses of study relating to cybersecurity and energy
infrastructure. H.R. 7569 is sponsored by Ms. Ross and
cosponsored by Mr. Carey and Ms. Bonamici.
III. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION
This legislation originates from the need to address the
workforce requirements associated with revamping our present
approach for securing energy infrastructure from cyberattacks.
Current methodology focuses primarily on retroactively
mitigating cybersecurity vulnerabilities in energy-related
critical infrastructure after an intrusion occurs, which is
inefficient, ineffective, and costly. Instead, cybersecurity
considerations must be integrated into the research, design,
and development of new energy infrastructure to cost
effectively enhance its security, resilience, and reliability.
Successfully employing such an approach requires a diverse,
inclusive, and highly skilled workforce with energy-specific
cybersecurity expertise and familiarity with associated
research, development, and demonstration needs. A dedicated
science scholarship program at the Department of Energy (the
Department or DOE) for graduate students and postdoctoral
researchers studying energy-specific cybersecurity disciplines
could help address these workforce needs.
IV. COMMITTEE HEARINGS
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(6) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee designates the
following hearing as having been used to develop or consider
the legislation:
On March 18, 2021, the Committee held a hearing entitled
``Lessons Learned from the Texas Blackouts: Research Needs for
a Secure and Resilient Grid.'' The purpose of the hearing was
to understand the causes of the extended power outages in Texas
and other southern and midwestern states during a severe winter
storm in February 2021 and to examine associated grid research
and development needs.
Witnesses:
Dr. Jesse Jenkins, Assistant Professor of
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Andlinger Center for
Energy and the Environment at Princeton University
Dr. Varun Rai, Associate Dean for Research;
Professor of Public Affairs, LBJ School of Public Affairs at
the University of Texas at Austin
Mr. Juan Torres, Associate Laboratory Director,
Energy Systems Integration, National Renewable Energy
Laboratory
Ms. Beth Garza, Senior Fellow, R Street Institute
Dr. Sue Tierney, Senior Advisor, Analysis Group
V. COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION AND VOTES
The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology met to
consider H.R. 7569 on May 17, 2022. Ms. Lofgren moved that the
Committee favorably report the bill to the House of
Representatives with the recommendation that the bill be
approved. The motion was agreed to by a voice vote.
VI. SUMMARY OF MAJOR PROVISIONS OF THE BILL
H.R. 7569 authorizes the Secretary of Energy to establish a
program that would provide financial assistance for
scholarships, fellowships, and research and development
projects at institutions of higher education to support
graduate students and postdoctoral researchers pursuing
coursework at the intersection of cybersecurity and energy
infrastructure. Awardees under this program would also be
provided with research traineeships at National Laboratories
and utilities to gain practical, hands-on experience with
developing and testing new tools and technologies. More
broadly, the program would serve as a mechanism for
diversifying the nation's energy infrastructure workforce by
expanding DOE's outreach to historically Black colleges and
universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and minority-
serving institutions.
VII. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS (BY TITLE AND SECTION)
Sec. 1. Short title
Section 1 establishes that H.R. 7569 may be cited as the
``Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Act of 2022''.
Sec. 2. Energy cybersecurity university leadership program
Subsection (a) establishes findings.
Subsection (b) directs the Secretary of Energy to establish
an Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Program (the
Program) to support graduate students and postdoctoral
researchers pursuing a course of study that integrates
cybersecurity competencies within disciplines associated with
energy infrastructure needs. Specifically, the bill authorizes
the Secretary to provide financial assistance on a competitive
basis for scholarships, fellowships, and research and
development projects at institutions of higher education, as
well as research traineeship experiences at National
Laboratories and utilities. The Secretary is also directed to
leverage the Program to expand outreach to historically Black
colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges or Universities, and
minority-serving institutions.
Subsection (c) directs the Secretary to submit a report on
the implementation of the program to the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate within
one year of enactment of H.R. 7569.
Subsection (d) defines terms used in section 2.
VIII. COMMITTEE VIEWS
In implementing this program, the Committee encourages the
Department to prioritize coordination between the appropriate
program offices. The Committee continues to emphasize the
importance of preparing the next generation of the energy
workforce for emerging challenges, in order to ensure our
national security and global competitiveness.
IX. COST ESTIMATE
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee adopts as its own the
estimate of new budget authority, entitlement authority, or tax
expenditures or revenues contained in the cost estimate
prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office
pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974.
X. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE
No Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate.
XI. FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT
H.R. 7569 contains no unfunded mandates.
XII. COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are
reflected in the body of this report.
XIII. STATEMENT ON GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Pursuant to clause (3)(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, the goal of H.R. 7569 is to
increase the long-term resilience of the nation's energy
infrastructure through the creation of a workforce with
relevant skillsets and expertise. The legislation will require
the Department to provide a report on the implementation of the
authorized program.
XIV. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No Federal Advisory Committees are created by H.R. 7569.
XV. DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision
of H.R. 7569 establishes or reauthorizes a program of the
federal government known to be duplicative of another federal
program, including any program that was included in a report to
Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or the
most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.
XVI. EARMARK IDENTIFICATION
Pursuant to clauses 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI, the
Committee finds that H.R. 7569 contains no earmarks, limited
tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits.
XVII. APPLICABILITY TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that H.R. 7569 does not relate to the
terms and conditions of employment or access to public services
or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of
the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 104-1).
XVIII. STATEMENT ON PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW
This bill is not intended to preempt any state, local, or
tribal law.
XIX. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
This legislation does not amend any existing Federal
statute.
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
[all]