[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.


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