Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act

To provide additional oversight and guidance to the Department of Homeland Security. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees (A) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate (B) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives (C) the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives (2) Cybersecurity work category; data element code; specialty area The terms Cybersecurity Work Category Data Element Code Specialty Area (3) Director The term Director (4) Secretary The term Secretary 3. National Cybersecurity Workforce Measurement Initiative (a) In general The head of each Federal agency shall— (1) identify all cybersecurity workforce positions within the agency; (2) determine the primary Cybersecurity Work Category and Specialty Area of such positions; and (3) assign the corresponding Data Element Code, as set forth in the Office of Personnel Management’s Guide to Data Standards which is aligned with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education’s National Cybersecurity Workforce Framework report, in accordance with subsection (b). (b) Employment codes (1) Procedures Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the head of each Federal agency shall establish procedures— (A) to identify open positions that include cybersecurity functions (as defined in the OPM Guide to Data Standards); and (B) to assign the appropriate employment code to each such position, using agreed standards and definitions. (2) Code assignments Not later than 9 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the head of each Federal agency shall assign the appropriate employment code to— (A) each employee within the agency who carries out cybersecurity functions; and (B) each open position within the agency that has been identified as having cybersecurity functions. (c) Progress report Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit a progress report on the implementation of this section to the appropriate congressional committees. 4. Identification of Cybersecurity Work Category and Specialty Areas of critical need (a) In general Beginning not later than 1 year after the date on which the employment codes are assigned to employees pursuant to section 3(b)(2), and annually through 2021, the head of each Federal agency, in consultation with the Director and the Secretary, shall— (1) identify Cybersecurity Work Categories and Specialty Areas of critical need in the agency’s cybersecurity workforce; and (2) submit a report to the Director that— (A) describes the Cybersecurity Work Categories and Specialty Areas identified under paragraph (1); and (B) substantiates the critical need designations. (b) Guidance The Director shall provide Federal agencies with timely guidance for identifying Cybersecurity Work Categories and Specialty Areas of critical need, including— (1) current Cybersecurity Work Categories and Specialty Areas with acute skill shortages; and (2) Cybersecurity Work Categories and Specialty Areas with emerging skill shortages. (c) Cybersecurity critical needs report Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director, in consultation with the Secretary, shall— (1) identify Specialty Areas of critical need for cybersecurity workforce across all Federal agencies; and (2) submit a progress report on the implementation of this section to the appropriate congressional committees. 5. Government Accountability Office status reports The Comptroller General of the United States shall— (1) analyze and monitor the implementation of sections 3 and 4; and (2) not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the status of such implementation.

Summary: Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act - Requires the head of each federal agency to identify cybersecurity workforce positions within the agency, determine the primary Cybersecurity Work Category and Specialty Area (CWCSA) of such positions, and assign the corresponding Data Element Code. Directs each agency head to establish procedures to: (1) identify open positions that include cybersecurity functions, and (2) assign the appropriate employment code to each such position and to each agency employee who carries out cybersecurity functions. Directs each agency head, beginning not later than one year after such employment codes are assigned and annually through 2021, to submit a report to the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that identifies the CWCSAs of critical need in the agency's cybersecurity workforce and substantiates the critical need designations. Requires the Director to: (1) provide agencies with timely guidance for identifying CWCSAs of critical need, including current categories and areas with acute skill shortages and with emerging skill shortages; and (2) identify Specialty Areas of critical need for the cybersecurity workforce across all federal agencies. Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to analyze, monitor, and report on this Act's implementation.