I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8634 

To improve United States cybersecurity through STEM scholarships, prize 

competitions, and other STEM activities, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 20, 2020 

Ms. KENDRA S. HORN of Oklahoma introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 

such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To improve United States cybersecurity through STEM 

scholarships, prize competitions, and other STEM activities, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘HACKED Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. IMPROVING NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR CYBERSE2 CURITY EDUCATION. 

3 (a) PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS GENERALLY.—Sub4 section (a) of section 401 of the Cybersecurity Enhance5 ment Act of 2014 (15 U.S.C. 7451(a)) is amended— 

6 (1) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 

7 inserting a semicolon; 

8 (2) by redesignating paragraph (6) as para9 graph (10); and 

10 (3) by inserting after paragraph (5) the fol11 lowing: 

12 ‘‘(6) supporting efforts to identify cybersecurity 

13 workforce skill gaps in public and private sectors; 

14 ‘‘(7) facilitating efforts for Federal programs to 

15 advance cybersecurity education, training, and work16 force development; 

17 ‘‘(8) in coordination with the Department of 

18 Homeland Security and other appropriate agencies, 

19 considering any specific needs of the cybersecurity 

20 workforce of critical infrastructure, to include cyber 

21 physical systems and control systems; 

22 ‘‘(9) advising the Director of the Office of Man23 agement and Budget, as needed, in developing 

24 metrics to measure the effectiveness and effect of 

25 programs and initiatives to advance the cybersecu26 rity workforce; and’’. 


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1 (b) STRATEGIC PLAN.—Subsection (c) of such sec2 tion is amended— 

3 (1) by striking ‘‘The Director’’ and inserting 

4 the following: 

5 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director’’; and 

6 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

7 ‘‘(2) REQUIREMENT.—The strategic plan devel8 oped and implemented under paragraph (1) shall in9 clude an indication of how the Director will carry 

10 out this subsection.’’. 

11 (c) CYBERSECURITY CAREER PATHWAYS.— 

12 (1) IDENTIFICATION OF MULTIPLE CYBERSECU13 RITY CAREER PATHWAYS.—In carrying out sub14 section (a) of such section and not later than 540 

15 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

16 Director of the National Institute of Standards and 

17 Technology shall, in coordination with the Secretary 

18 of Homeland Security, the Director of the Office of 

19 Personnel Management, and other appropriate agen20 cies, use a consultative process with other Federal 

21 agencies, academia, and industry to make public a 

22 report identifying multiple career pathways for cy23 bersecurity work roles that can be used in the pri24 vate and public sectors. 


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1 (2) REQUIREMENTS.—The Director of the Na2 tional Institute of Standards and Technology shall 

3 ensure that the multiple cybersecurity career path4 ways identified under paragraph (1) indicate the 

5 knowledge, skills, and abilities, including relevant 

6 education, training, internships, apprenticeships, cer7 tifications, and other experiences, that— 

8 (A) align with employers’ cybersecurity 

9 skill needs, including proficiency level require10 ments, for its workforce; and 

11 (B) prepare an individual to be successful 

12 in entering or advancing in a cybersecurity ca13 reer. 

14 (3) EXCHANGE PROGRAM.—Consistent with re15 quirements under chapter 37 of title 5, United 

16 States Code, the Director of the National Institute 

17 of Standards and Technology, in coordination with 

18 the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, 

19 may establish a voluntary program for the exchange 

20 of employees engaged in one of the cybersecurity 

21 work roles identified in the National Initiative for 

22 Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity 

23 Workforce Framework (NIST Special Publication 

24 800–181), or successor framework, between the Na25 tional Institute of Standards and Technology and 


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1 private sector institutions, including nonpublic or 

2 commercial businesses, research institutions, or in3 stitutions of higher education, as the Director of the 

4 National Institute of Standards and Technology con5 siders feasible. 

6 (d) PROFICIENCY TO PERFORM CYBERSECURITY

7 TASKS.—In carrying out subsection (a) of such section, 

8 the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 

9 Technology shall, in coordination with the Secretary of 

10 Homeland Security, and other appropriate agencies— 

11 (1) assess the scope and sufficiency of efforts to 

12 measure an individual’s capability to perform spe13 cific tasks found in the National Initiative for Cyber14 security Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce 

15 Framework (NIST Special Publication 800–181) at 

16 all proficiency levels; and 

17 (2) not later than 540 days after the date of 

18 the enactment of this Act, submit to Congress a re19 port— 

20 (A) on the findings of the Director with re21 spect to the assessment carried out under para22 graph (1); and 

23 (B) with recommendations for effective 

24 methods for measuring the cybersecurity pro25 ficiency of learners. 


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1 (e) CYBERSECURITY METRICS.—Such section is fur2 ther amended by adding at the end the following: 

3 ‘‘(e) CYBERSECURITY METRICS.—In carrying out 

4 subsection (a), the Director of the Office of Management 

5 and Budget may seek input from the Director of the Na6 tional Institute of Standards and Technology, in coordina7 tion with the Department of Homeland Security, the Of8 fice of Personnel Management, and such agencies as the 

9 Director of the National Institute of Standards and Tech10 nology considers relevant, to develop quantifiable metrics 

11 for evaluating federally funded cybersecurity workforce 

12 programs and initiatives based on the outcomes of such 

13 programs and initiatives.’’. 

14 (f) REGIONAL ALLIANCES AND MULTISTAKEHOLDER

15 PARTNERSHIPS.—Such section is further amended by 

16 adding at the end the following: 

17 ‘‘(f) REGIONAL ALLIANCES AND MULTISTAKE18 HOLDER PARTNERSHIPS.— 

19 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Pursuant to section 2(b)(4) 

20 of the National Institute of Standards and Tech21 nology Act, the Director shall establish cooperative 

22 agreements between the National Initiative for Cy23 bersecurity Education (NICE) of the Institute and 

24 regional alliances or partnerships for cybersecurity 

25 education and workforce. 


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1 ‘‘(2) AGREEMENTS.—The cooperative agree2 ments established under paragraph (1) shall advance 

3 the goals of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity 

4 Education Cybersecurity Workforce Framework 

5 (NIST Special Publication 800–181), or successor 

6 framework, by facilitating local and regional partner7 ships— 

8 ‘‘(A) to identify the workforce needs of the 

9 local economy and classify such workforce in ac10 cordance with such framework; 

11 ‘‘(B) to identify the education, training, 

12 apprenticeship, and other opportunities avail13 able in the local economy; and 

14 ‘‘(C) to support opportunities to meet the 

15 needs of the local economy. 

16 ‘‘(3) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.— 

17 ‘‘(A) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AUTHOR18 IZED.—The Director may award financial as19 sistance to a regional alliance or partnership 

20 with whom the Director enters into a coopera21 tive agreement under paragraph (1) in order to 

22 assist the regional alliance or partnership in 

23 carrying out the term of the cooperative agree24 ment. 


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1 ‘‘(B) AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE.—The ag2 gregate amount of financial assistance awarded 

3 under subparagraph (A) per cooperative agree4 ment shall not exceed $200,000. 

5 ‘‘(C) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—The Di6 rector may not award financial assistance to a 

7 regional alliance or partnership under subpara8 graph (A) unless the regional alliance or part9 nership agrees that, with respect to the costs to 

10 be incurred by the regional alliance or partner11 ship in carrying out the cooperative agreement 

12 for which the assistance was awarded, the re13 gional alliance or partnership will make avail14 able (directly or through donations from public 

15 or private entities) non-Federal contributions, 

16 including in-kind contributions, in an amount 

17 equal to 50 percent of Federal funds provided 

18 under the award. 

19 ‘‘(4) APPLICATION.— 

20 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A regional alliance or 

21 partnership seeking to enter into a cooperative 

22 agreement under paragraph (1) and receive fi23 nancial assistance under paragraph (3) shall 

24 submit to the Director an application therefore 


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1 at such time, in such manner, and containing 

2 such information as the Director may require. 

3 ‘‘(B) REQUIREMENTS.—Each application 

4 submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include 

5 the following: 

6 ‘‘(i)(I) An identification of, or a plan 

7 to establish, a multistakeholder workforce 

8 partnership that includes— 

9 ‘‘(aa) at least one institution of 

10 higher education or nonprofit training 

11 organization; and 

12 ‘‘(bb) at least one local employer 

13 or owner or operator of critical infra14 structure. 

15 ‘‘(II) Participation from academic in16 stitutions in the Federal Cyber Scholar17 ships for Service, National Centers of Aca18 demic Excellence in Cybersecurity program 

19 or advanced technological education pro20 grams, as well as elementary and sec21 ondary schools, training and certification 

22 providers, State and local governments, 

23 economic development organizations, or 

24 other community organizations is encour25 aged. 


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1 ‘‘(ii) A description of how the work2 force partnership would identify the work3 force needs of the local economy. 

4 ‘‘(iii) A description of how the multi5 stakeholder workforce partnership would 

6 leverage the programs and objectives of the 

7 National Initiative for Cybersecurity Edu8 cation, such as the Cybersecurity Work9 force Framework and the strategic plan of 

10 such initiative. 

11 ‘‘(iv) A description of how employers 

12 in the community will be recruited to sup13 port internships, externships, apprentice14 ships, or cooperative education programs 

15 in conjunction with providers of education 

16 and training. Inclusion of programs that 

17 seek to include veterans and underrep18 resented groups, including women, minori19 ties, persons from rural and underserved 

20 areas, and persons with disabilities, is en21 couraged. 

22 ‘‘(v) A definition of the metrics to be 

23 used in determining the success of the ef24 forts of the regional alliance or partnership 

25 under the agreement. 


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1 ‘‘(C) PRIORITY CONSIDERATION.—In 

2 awarding financial assistance under paragraph 

3 (3), the Director shall give priority consider4 ation to a regional alliance or partnership that 

5 includes an institution of higher education that 

6 is designated as a National Center of Academic 

7 Excellence in Cybersecurity or which received 

8 an award under the Federal Cyber Scholarship 

9 for Service program located in the State or re10 gion of the regional alliance or partnership. 

11 ‘‘(5) AUDITS.—Each cooperative agreement for 

12 which financial assistance is awarded under para13 graph (3) shall be subject to audit requirements 

14 under part 200 of title 2, Code of Federal Regula15 tions (relating to uniform administrative require16 ments, cost principles, and audit requirements for 

17 Federal awards), or successor regulation. 

18 ‘‘(6) REPORTS.— 

19 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Upon completion of a 

20 cooperative agreement under paragraph (1), the 

21 regional alliance or partnership that partici22 pated in the agreement shall submit to the Di23 rector a report on the activities of the regional 

24 alliance or partnership under the agreement, 


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1 which may include training and education out2 comes. 

3 ‘‘(B) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted 

4 under subparagraph (A) by a regional alliance 

5 or partnership shall include the following: 

6 ‘‘(i) An assessment of efforts made by 

7 the regional alliance or partnership to 

8 carry out paragraph (2). 

9 ‘‘(ii) The metrics used by the regional 

10 alliance or partnership to measure the suc11 cess of the efforts of the regional alliance 

12 or partnership under the cooperative agree13 ment.’’. 

14 (g) TRANSFER OF SECTION.— 

15 (1) TRANSFER.—Such section is transferred to 

16 the end of title III of such Act and redesignated as 

17 section 303. 

18 (2) REPEAL.—Title IV of such Act is repealed. 

19 (3) CLERICAL.—The table of contents in sec20 tion 1(b) of such Act is amended— 

21 (A) by striking the items relating to title 

22 IV and section 401; and 

23 (B) by inserting after the item relating to 

24 section 302 the following: 

‘‘Sec. 303. National cybersecurity awareness and education program.’’. 

25 (4) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 


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1 (A) Section 302(3) of the Federal Cyberse2 curity Workforce Assessment Act of 2015 (5 

3 U.S.C. 301 note) is amended by striking 

4 ‘‘under section 401 of the Cybersecurity En5 hancement Act of 2014 (15 U.S.C. 7451)’’ and 

6 inserting ‘‘under section 303 of the Cybersecu7 rity Enhancement Act of 2014’’. 

8 (B) Section 2(c)(3) of the NIST Small 

9 Business Cybersecurity Act (15 U.S.C. 272 

10 note) is amended by striking ‘‘under section 

11 401 of the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 

12 2014 (15 U.S.C. 7451)’’ and inserting ‘‘under 

13 section 303 of the Cybersecurity Enhancement 

14 Act of 2014’’. 

15 (C) Section 302(f) of the Cybersecurity 

16 Enhancement Act of 2014 (15 U.S.C. 7442(f)) 

17 is amended by striking ‘‘under section 401’’ 

18 and inserting ‘‘under section 303’’. 

19 SEC. 3. DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES 

20 FOR IMPROVING CYBERSECURITY WORK21 FORCE OF FEDERAL AGENCIES. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 20(a) of the National In23 stitute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 

24 278g–3(a)) is amended— 


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1 (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 

2 inserting a semicolon; 

3 (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at 

4 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

5 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(5) identify and develop standards and guide7 lines for improving the cybersecurity workforce for 

8 an agency as part of the National Initiative for Cy9 bersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Work10 force Framework (NIST Special Publication 800– 

11 181), or successor framework.’’. 

12 (b) PUBLICATION OF STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES

13 ON CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS.—Not later than 3 years 

14 after the date of the enactment of this Act and pursuant 

15 to section 20 of the National Institute of Standards and 

16 Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278g–3), the Director of the 

17 National Institute of Standards and Technology shall pub18 lish standards and guidelines for improving cybersecurity 

19 awareness of employees and contractors of Federal agen20 cies. 

21 SEC. 4. MODIFICATIONS TO FEDERAL CYBER SCHOLAR22 SHIP-FOR-SERVICE PROGRAM. 

23 Section 302 of the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act 

24 of 2014 (15 U.S.C. 7442) is amended— 

25 (1) in subsection (b)— 


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1 (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘infor2 mation technology’’ and inserting ‘‘information 

3 technology and cybersecurity’’; 

4 (B) by amending paragraph (3) to read as 

5 follows: 

6 ‘‘(3) prioritize the placement of scholarship re7 cipients fulfilling the post-award employment obliga8 tion under this section to ensure that— 

9 ‘‘(A) not less than 70 percent of such re10 cipients are placed in an executive agency (as 

11 defined in section 105 of title 5, United States 

12 Code); 

13 ‘‘(B) not more than 10 percent of such re14 cipients are placed as educators in the field of 

15 cybersecurity at qualified institutions of higher 

16 education that provide scholarships under this 

17 section; and 

18 ‘‘(C) not more than 20 percent of such re19 cipients are placed in positions described in 

20 paragraphs (2) through (5) of subsection (d); 

21 and’’; and 

22 (C) in paragraph (4), in the matter pre23 ceding subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘, includ24 ing by seeking to provide awards in coordina25 tion with other relevant agencies for summer 


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1 cybersecurity camp or other experiences, includ2 ing teacher training, in each of the 50 States,’’ 

3 after ‘‘cybersecurity education’’; 

4 (2) in subsection (d)— 

5 (A) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘or’’ at 

6 the end; 

7 (B) in paragraph (5), by striking the pe8 riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 

9 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(6) as provided by subsection (b)(3)(B), a 

11 qualified institution of higher education.’’; 

12 (3) in subsection (f)— 

13 (A) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 

14 and inserting a semicolon; and 

15 (B) by striking paragraph (5) and insert16 ing the following: 

17 ‘‘(5) enter into an agreement accepting and ac18 knowledging the post award employment obligations, 

19 pursuant to section (d); 

20 ‘‘(6) accept and acknowledge the conditions of 

21 support under section (g); and 

22 ‘‘(7) accept all terms and conditions of a schol23 arship under this section.’’; 

24 (4) in subsection (g)— 


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1 (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘the Of2 fice of Personnel Management, in coordination 

3 with the National Science Foundation, and’’ be4 fore ‘‘the qualified institution’’; and 

5 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

6 (i) in subparagraph (D), by striking 

7 ‘‘; or’’ and inserting a semicolon; and 

8 (ii) by striking subparagraph (E) and 

9 inserting the following: 

10 ‘‘(E) fails to maintain or fulfill any of the 

11 post-graduation or post-award obligations or re12 quirements of the individual; or 

13 ‘‘(F) fails to fulfill the requirements of 

14 paragraph (1).’’; 

15 (5) in subsection (h)(2), by inserting ‘‘and the 

16 Director of the Office of Personnel Management’’ 

17 after ‘‘Foundation’’; 

18 (6) in subsection (k)(1)(A), by striking ‘‘and 

19 the Director’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘, 

20 the Director of the National Science Foundation, 

21 and the Director of the Office of Personnel Manage22 ment of the amounts owed; and’’; and 

23 (7) in subsection (m)— 


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1 (A) in paragraph (1), in the matter pre2 ceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘cyber’’ 

3 and inserting ‘‘cybersecurity’’; and 

4 (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘once 

5 every 3 years’’ and all that follows and insert6 ing ‘‘once every 2 years, to the Committee on 

7 Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the 

8 Committee on Homeland Security and Govern9 mental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 

10 on Science, Space, and Technology and the 

11 Committee on Oversight and Reform of the 

12 House of Representatives a report, including— 

13 ‘‘(A) the results of the evaluation under 

14 paragraph (1); 

15 ‘‘(B) the disparity in any reporting be16 tween scholarship recipients and their respective 

17 institutions of higher education; and 

18 ‘‘(C) any recent statistics regarding the 

19 size, composition, and educational requirements 

20 of the Federal cybersecurity workforce.’’. 

21 SEC. 5. CYBERSECURITY IN PROGRAMS OF THE NATIONAL 

22 SCIENCE FOUNDATION. 

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1 vation and Competitiveness Act (42 U.S.C. 1862s–7) is 

2 amended— 

3 (1) in subsection (b)— 

4 (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘and cy5 bersecurity’’ after ‘‘computer science’’; and 

6 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

7 (i) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘; 

8 and’’ and inserting a semicolon; 

9 (ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking 

10 the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 

11 and’’; and 

12 (iii) by adding at the end the fol13 lowing: 

14 ‘‘(E) tools and models for the integration 

15 of cybersecurity and other interdisciplinary ef16 forts into computer science education and com17 putational thinking at secondary and postsec18 ondary levels of education.’’; and 

19 (2) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘, cybersecu20 rity,’’ after ‘‘computing’’. 

21 (b) SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.—Sec22 tion 3(j)(9) of the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act 

23 of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862i(j)(9)) is amended by inserting 

24 ‘‘and cybersecurity’’ after ‘‘computer science’’. 


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1 (c) LOW-INCOME SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.—Section 

2 414(d) of the American Competitiveness and Workforce 

3 Improvement Act of 1998 (42 U.S.C. 1869c) is amend4 ed— 

5 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘or computer 

6 science’’ and inserting ‘‘computer science, or cyber7 security’’; and 

8 (2) in paragraph (2)(A)(iii), by inserting ‘‘cy9 bersecurity,’’ after ‘‘computer science,’’. 

10 (d) PRESIDENTIAL AWARDS FOR TEACHING EXCEL11 LENCE.—The Director of the National Science Founda12 tion shall ensure that educators and mentors in fields re13 lating to cybersecurity can be considered for— 

14 (1) Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math15 ematics and Science Teaching made under section 

16 117 of the National Science Foundation Authoriza17 tion Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 1881b); and 

18 (2) Presidential Awards for Excellence in 

19 STEM Mentoring administered under section 307 of 

20 the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act 

21 (42 U.S.C. 1862s–6). 


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1 SEC. 6. CYBERSECURITY IN STEM PROGRAMS OF THE NA2 TIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINIS3 TRATION. 

4 In carrying out any STEM education program of the 

5 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (referred 

6 to in this section as ‘‘NASA’’), including a program of 

7 the Office of STEM Engagement, the Administrator of 

8 NASA shall, to the maximum extent practicable, encour9 age the inclusion of cybersecurity education opportunities 

10 in such program. 

11 SEC. 7. CYBERSECURITY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AT 

12 THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy shall 

14 support the development of a cybersecurity workforce 

15 through a program that— 

16 (1) facilitates collaboration between under-grad17 uate and graduate students, researchers at the Na18 tional Laboratories (as defined in section 2 of the 

19 Energy Policy Act of 2005), and the private sector; 

20 (2) prioritizes science and technology in areas 

21 relevant to the mission of the Department of Energy 

22 through the design and application of cybersecurity 

23 technologies; 

24 (3) develops, or facilitates private sector devel25 opment of, voluntary cybersecurity training and re26 training standards, lessons, and recommendations 


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1 for the energy sector that minimize duplication of 

2 cybersecurity compliance training programs; and 

3 (4) maintains a public database of cybersecurity 

4 education, training, and certification programs. 

5 (b) COLLABORATION.—In carrying out the program 

6 authorized in subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall 

7 leverage programs and activities carried out across the De8 partment of Energy, other relevant Federal agencies, in9 stitutions of higher education, and other appropriate enti10 ties best suited to provide national leadership on cyberse11 curity related issues. 

12 SEC. 8. NATIONAL CYBERSECURITY CHALLENGES. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title II of the Cybersecurity En14 hancement Act of 2014 (15 U.S.C. 7431 et seq.) is amend15 ed by adding at the end the following: 

16 ‘‘SEC. 205. NATIONAL CYBERSECURITY CHALLENGES. 

17 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CYBERSECU18 RITY CHALLENGES.— 

19 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To achieve high-priority 

20 breakthroughs in cybersecurity by 2028, the Direc21 tor of the National Institutes of Standards and 

22 Technology shall establish the following national cy23 bersecurity challenges: 

24 ‘‘(A) ECONOMICS OF A CYBER ATTACK.— 

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1 ably and exponentially raise adversary costs of 

2 carrying out common cyber attacks. 

3 ‘‘(B) CYBER TRAINING.— 

4 ‘‘(i) Empowering the people of the 

5 United States with an appropriate and 

6 measurably sufficient level of digital lit7 eracy to make safe and secure decisions 

8 online. 

9 ‘‘(ii) Developing a cybersecurity work10 force with measurable skills to protect and 

11 maintain information systems. 

12 ‘‘(C) EMERGING TECHNOLOGY.—Advanc13 ing cybersecurity efforts in response to emerg14 ing technology, such as artificial intelligence, 

15 quantum science, and next generation commu16 nications technologies. 

17 ‘‘(D) REIMAGINING DIGITAL IDENTITY.— 

18 Maintaining a high sense of usability while im19 proving the privacy, security and safety of on20 line activity of individuals in the United States. 

21 ‘‘(E) FEDERAL AGENCY RESILIENCE.—Re22 ducing cybersecurity risks to Federal networks 

23 and systems, and improving the response of 

24 Federal agencies to cybersecurity incidents on 

25 such networks and systems. 


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1 ‘‘(2) COORDINATION.—In establishing the chal2 lenges under paragraph (1), the Director of the Na3 tional Institutes of Standards and Technology shall 

4 coordinate with the Secretary of Homeland Security 

5 on the challenges under subparagraphs (B) and (E) 

6 of such paragraph. 

7 ‘‘(b) PURSUIT OF NATIONAL CYBERSECURITY CHAL8 LENGES.— 

9 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

10 after the date of the enactment of this section, the 

11 Director of the National Institutes of Standards and 

12 Technology, shall commence efforts to pursue the 

13 national cybersecurity challenges established under 

14 subsection (a). 

15 ‘‘(2) COMPETITIONS.—The efforts required by 

16 paragraph (1) shall include carrying out programs to 

17 award prizes, including cash and noncash prizes, 

18 competitively pursuant to the authorities and proc19 esses established under section 24 of the Stevenson20 Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 

21 U.S.C. 3719) or any other applicable provision of 

22 law. 

23 ‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITIES.—In carrying 

24 out paragraph (1), the Director of the National In25 stitutes of Standards and Technology may enter into 


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1 and perform such other transactions as the Director 

2 considers necessary and on such terms as the Direc3 tor considers appropriate. 

4 ‘‘(4) COORDINATION.—In pursuing national cy5 bersecurity challenges under paragraph (1), the Di6 rector of the National Institutes of Standards and 

7 Technology shall coordinate with the following: 

8 ‘‘(A) The Director of the National Science 

9 Foundation. 

10 ‘‘(B) The Secretary of Homeland Security. 

11 ‘‘(C) The Director of the Defense Ad12 vanced Research Projects Agency. 

13 ‘‘(D) The Director of the Office of Science 

14 and Technology Policy. 

15 ‘‘(E) The Director of the Office of Man16 agement and Budget. 

17 ‘‘(F) The heads of such other Federal 

18 agencies as the Secretary of Commerce con19 siders appropriate for purposes of this section. 

20 ‘‘(5) SOLICITATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF

21 FUNDS.— 

22 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Pursuant to section 

23 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innova24 tion Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719), the Direc25 tor of the National Institutes of Standards and 


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1 Technology shall request and accept funds from 

2 other Federal agencies, State, United States 

3 territory, local, or tribal government agencies, 

4 private sector for-profit entities, and nonprofit 

5 entities to support efforts to pursue a national 

6 cybersecurity challenge under this section. 

7 ‘‘(B) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing 

8 in subparagraph (A) shall be construed to re9 quire any person or entity to provide funds or 

10 otherwise participate in an effort or competition 

11 under this section. 

12 ‘‘(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.— 

13 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this sec14 tion, the Director of the National Institutes of 

15 Standards and Technology shall designate an advi16 sory council to seek recommendations. 

17 ‘‘(2) ELEMENTS.—The recommendations re18 quired by paragraph (1) shall include the following: 

19 ‘‘(A) A scope for efforts carried out under 

20 subsection (b). 

21 ‘‘(B) Metrics to assess submissions for 

22 prizes under competitions carried out under 

23 subsection (b) as the submissions pertain to the 

24 national cybersecurity challenges established 

25 under subsection (a). 


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•HR 8634 IH

1 ‘‘(3) NO ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION.—The 

2 Director of the National Institutes of Standards and 

3 Technology may not provide any additional com4 pensation, except for travel expenses, to a member 

5 of the advisory council designated under paragraph 

6 (1) for participation in the advisory council.’’. 

7 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 201(a)(1) 

8 of such Act is amended— 

9 (1) in subparagraph (J), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 

10 and inserting a semicolon; 

11 (2) by redesignating subparagraph (K) as sub12 paragraph (L); and 

13 (3) by inserting after subparagraph (J) the fol14 lowing: 

15 ‘‘(K) implementation of section 205 

16 through research and development on the topics 

17 identified under subsection (a) of such section; 

18 and’’. 

19 (c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

20 in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by inserting after 

21 the item relating to section 204 the following: 

‘‘Sec. 205. National cybersecurity challenges.’’. 

Æ 


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