[113th Congress Public Law 246]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 2879]]
CYBERSECURITY WORKFORCE ASSESSMENT ACT
[[Page 128 STAT. 2880]]
Public Law 113-246
113th Congress
An Act
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess the
cybersecurity workforce of the Department of Homeland Security and
develop a comprehensive workforce strategy, and for other
purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 18, 2014 - [H.R. 2952]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Cybersecurity
Workforce Assessment Act.>>
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 6 USC 101 note.>> SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment
Act''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 6 USC 146 note.>> DEFINITIONS.
In this Act--
(1) the term ``Cybersecurity Category'' means a position's
or incumbent's primary work function involving cybersecurity,
which is further defined by Specialty Area;
(2) the term ``Department'' means the Department of Homeland
Security;
(3) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Homeland
Security; and
(4) the term ``Specialty Area'' means any of the common
types of cybersecurity work as recognized by the National
Initiative for Cybersecurity Education's National Cybersecurity
Workforce Framework report.
SEC. 3. CYBERSECURITY WORKFORCE ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGY.
<<NOTE: Deadlines.6 USC 146.>> (a) Workforce Assessment.
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 3 years, the
Secretary shall assess the cybersecurity workforce of the
Department.
(2) Contents.--The assessment required under paragraph (1)
shall include, at a minimum--
(A) an assessment of the readiness and capacity of
the workforce of the Department to meet its
cybersecurity mission;
(B) information on where cybersecurity workforce
positions are located within the Department;
(C) information on which cybersecurity workforce
positions are--
(i) performed by--
(I) permanent full-time equivalent
employees of the Department, including,
to the greatest extent practicable,
demographic information about such
employees;
[[Page 128 STAT. 2881]]
(II) independent contractors; and
(III) individuals employed by other
Federal agencies, including the National
Security Agency; or
(ii) vacant; and
(D) information on--
(i) the percentage of individuals within each
Cybersecurity Category and Specialty Area who
received essential training to perform their jobs;
and
(ii) in cases in which such essential training
was not received, what challenges, if any, were
encountered with respect to the provision of such
essential training.
(b) Workforce Strategy.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
(A) not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, develop a comprehensive workforce
strategy to enhance the readiness, capacity, training,
recruitment, and retention of the cybersecurity
workforce of the Department; and
(B) maintain and, as necessary, update the
comprehensive workforce strategy developed under
subparagraph (A).
(2) Contents.--The comprehensive workforce strategy
developed under paragraph (1) shall include a description of--
(A) a multi-phased recruitment plan, including with
respect to experienced professionals, members of
disadvantaged or underserved communities, the
unemployed, and veterans;
(B) a 5-year implementation plan;
(C) a 10-year projection of the cybersecurity
workforce needs of the Department;
(D) any obstacle impeding the hiring and development
of a cybersecurity workforce in the Department; and
(E) any gap in the existing cybersecurity workforce
of the Department and a plan to fill any such gap.
(c) Updates.--The Secretary submit to the appropriate congressional
committees annual updates on--
(1) the cybersecurity workforce assessment required under
subsection (a); and
(2) the progress of the Secretary in carrying out the
comprehensive workforce strategy required to be developed under
subsection (b).
SEC. 4. CYBERSECURITY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.
<<NOTE: Deadline. Reports.>> Not later than 120 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on the feasibility, cost, and benefits
of establishing a Cybersecurity Fellowship Program to offer a tuition
payment plan for individuals pursuing undergraduate and doctoral
[[Page 128 STAT. 2882]]
degrees who agree to work for the Department for an agreed-upon period
of time.
Approved December 18, 2014.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2952:
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 113-324 (Comm. on Homeland Security).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 160 (2014):
July 28, considered and passed House.
Dec. 10, considered and passed Senate, amended.
Dec. 11, House concurred in Senate amendments.
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