Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make certain improvements in the laws relating to the advancement of security technologies for critical infrastructure protection, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Critical Infrastructure Research and Development Advancement Act of 2013 CIRDA Act of 2013 2. Definitions Section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 101 (15) The term Sector Coordinating Council (A) recognized by the Secretary as such a Council for purposes of this Act; and (B) comprised of representatives of owners and operators of critical infrastructure within a particular sector of critical infrastructure. . 3. Critical infrastructure protection research and development (a) Strategic Plan; Public-Private Consortiums (1) In general Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 181 et seq. 318. Research and development strategy for critical infrastructure protection (a) In General Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Critical Infrastructure Research and Development Advancement Act of 2013, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall transmit to Congress a strategic plan to guide the overall direction of Federal physical security and cybersecurity technology research and development efforts for protecting critical infrastructure, including against all threats. Once every 2 years after the initial strategic plan is transmitted to Congress under this section, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress an update of the plan. (b) Contents of Plan The strategic plan shall include the following: (1) An identification of critical infrastructure security risks and any associated security technology gaps, that are developed following— (A) consultation with stakeholders, including the Sector Coordinating Councils; and (B) performance by the Department of a risk/gap analysis that considers information received in such consultations. (2) A set of critical infrastructure security technology needs that— (A) is prioritized based on risk and gaps identified under paragraph (1); (B) emphasizes research and development of those technologies that need to be accelerated due to rapidly evolving threats or rapidly advancing infrastructure technology; and (C) includes research, development, and acquisition roadmaps with clearly defined objectives, goals, and measures. (3) An identification of laboratories, facilities, modeling, and simulation capabilities that will be required to support the research, development, demonstration, testing, evaluation, and acquisition of the security technologies described in paragraph (2). (4) An identification of current and planned programmatic initiatives for fostering the rapid advancement and deployment of security technologies for critical infrastructure protection. The initiatives shall consider opportunities for public-private partnerships, intragovernment collaboration, university centers of excellence, and national laboratory technology transfer. (5) A description of progress made with respect to each critical infrastructure security risk, associated security technology gap, and critical infrastructure technology need identified in the preceding strategic plan transmitted under this section. (c) Coordination In carrying out this section, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall coordinate with the Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate. (d) Consultation In carrying out this section, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall consult with— (1) the critical infrastructure Sector Coordinating Councils; (2) to the extent practicable, subject matter experts on critical infrastructure protection from universities, colleges, including historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic- serving institutions, and tribal colleges and universities, national laboratories, and private industry; (3) the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies that conduct research and development for critical infrastructure protection; and (4) State, local, and tribal governments as appropriate. 319. Report on public-private research and development consortiums (a) In general Not later than 180 days after the enactment of the Critical Infrastructure Research and Development Advancement Act of 2013 (b) Contents of Report The report shall include— (1) a summary of the progress and accomplishments of on-going consortiums for critical infrastructure security technologies; (2) in consultation with the Sector Coordinating Councils and, to the extent practicable, in consultation with subject-matter experts on critical infrastructure protection from universities, colleges, including historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribal colleges and universities, national laboratories, and private industry, a prioritized list of technology development focus areas that would most benefit from a public-private research and development consortium; and (3) based on the prioritized list developed under paragraph (2), a proposal for implementing an expanded research and development consortium program, including an assessment of feasibility and an estimate of cost, schedule, and milestones. . (2) Limitation on progress report requirement Subsection (b)(5) of section 318 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by paragraph (1) of this subsection, shall not apply with respect to the first strategic plan transmitted under that section. (b) Clerical amendment The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to such title the following: Sec. 318. Research and development strategy for critical infrastructure protection. Sec. 319. Report on public-private research and development consortiums. . (c) Critical infrastructure protection technology clearinghouse Section 313 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 193 (c) Critical infrastructure protection technology clearinghouse (1) Designation Under the program required by this section, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and in coordination with the Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate, shall designate a technology clearinghouse for rapidly sharing proven technology solutions for protecting critical infrastructure. (2) Sharing of technology solutions Technology solutions shared through the clearinghouse shall draw from Government-furnished, commercially furnished, and publically available trusted sources. (3) Technology metrics All technologies shared through the clearinghouse shall include a set of performance and readiness metrics to assist end-users in deploying effective and timely solutions relevant for their critical infrastructures. (4) Review by privacy officer The Privacy Officer of the Department appointed under section 222 shall annually review the clearinghouse process to evaluate its consistency with fair information practice principles issued by the Privacy Officer. . (d) Evaluation of Technology Clearinghouse by Government Accountability Office Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an independent evaluation of, and submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on, the effectiveness of the clearinghouses established and designated, respectively, under section 313 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by this section. 4. No additional authorization of appropriations No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act, and this Act and such amendments shall be carried out using amounts otherwise available for such purpose. January 9, 2014 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, within 180 days and annually thereafter for three years, to conduct an assessment of the cybersecurity workforce of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which shall include information on: the readiness and capacity of such workforce to meet its cybersecurity mission; where cybersecurity workforce positions are located within DHS; which such positions are performed by permanent full-time equivalent DHS employees, by independent contractors, and by individuals employed by other federal agencies; which such positions are vacant; the percentage of individuals within each Cybersecurity Category and Specialty Area who received essential training to perform their jobs; and in cases in which such training was not received, what challenges were encountered regarding the provision of such training. Directs the Secretary to develop, maintain, and update a comprehensive workforce strategy to enhance the readiness, capacity, training, recruitment, and retention of DHS's cybersecurity workforce, which shall include a description of: a multi-phased recruitment plan, a 5-year implementation plan, a 10-year projection of the cybersecurity workforce needs of DHS, any obstacle impeding the hiring and development of such workforce, and any gap in the existing DHS cybersecurity workforce and a plan to fill such gap. Requires the Secretary to submit to the appropriate congressional committees: (1) annual updates on such assessment and on the Secretary's progress in carrying out such strategy; and (2) 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 degrees who agree to work for DHS for an agreed-upon period.