Cyber Workforce Take in House Bill

The House on Thursday passed a bill that would require the White House to submit a report to Congress on the current and future needs of the federal cybersecurity workforce.

The bill calls on the White House to provide a report that would provide an analysis of the availability of cybersecurity talent, a comparison of the skills and expertise sought by the government and private sector, and an analysis of the capacity of colleges and universities to provide cybersecurity education based on the needs of the federal government and private sector. The White House also would have to report on the barriers to recruiting and hiring cybersecurity talent, and make recommendations for federal policies to ensure a well-trained cyber workforce.

The bill also calls for the report to examine the effectiveness of federal scholarship and internship programs, particularly the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education, the Centers of Academic Excellence in Research and the Federal Cyber Scholarship for Service programs.

Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-N.Y., a co-sponsor of the bill, said on the House floor Wednesday that the government will need to recruit and hire between 500 and 1,000 more cybersecurity workers each year in order to address potential threats. "Through increased workforce development and continued strengthening of our public-private partnerships, we can and will ensure that the IT systems, on which so much of our way of life depends, are safe from cyberattack," he said.

The bill also would authorize $94 million in scholarship for students who pursue cybersecurity studies in exchange for a service commitment in the public sector upon graduation. The House passed an amendment by Rep. Carol Shea Porter, D-N.H., that would lengthen the amount of time students would be required to work for the federal government in exchange for the scholarships. Currently, scholarship recipients are required to serve a federal agency for a period equivalent to the length of their scholarship, or one year, whichever is longer. The amendment would require one additional year of public service for undergraduate students, two additional years for masters degree students and three additional years for doctoral candidates.

The House also passed two other amendments relating to cybersecurity scholarships. One amendment would add veteran status as an additional item for consideration when selecting individuals for the Federal Cyber Scholarship for Service. The other amendment would allow scholarship recipients to perform internships with businesses before completing their degrees.

The legislation also would provide the National Science Foundation with $120 million to construct new cybersecurity research facilities and offer new training programs in colleges and universities.