IIB 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5822 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
OCTOBER 1, 2020 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs 
AN ACT 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish 
an acquisition professional career program, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Homeland Security 
Acquisition Professional Career Program Act’’. 
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF THE ACQUISITION PROFES-
SIONAL CAREER PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title VII of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 711. ACQUISITION PROFESSIONAL CAREER PRO-
GRAM. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Department an acquisition professional career program to 
develop a cadre of acquisition professionals within the De-
partment. 
‘‘(b) ADMINISTRATION.—The Under Secretary for 
Management shall administer the acquisition professional 
career program established pursuant to subsection (a). 
‘‘(c) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—The Under Sec-
retary for Management shall carry out the following with 
respect to the acquisition professional career program. 
‘‘(1) Designate the occupational series, grades, 
and number of acquisition positions throughout the 
Department to be included in the program and man-
age centrally such positions. 
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‘‘(2) Establish and publish on the Department’s 
website eligibility criteria for candidates to partici-
pate in the program. 
‘‘(3) Carry out recruitment efforts to attract 
candidates— 
‘‘(A) from institutions of higher education, 
including such institutions with established ac-
quisition specialties and courses of study, his-
torically Black colleges and universities, and 
Hispanic-serving institutions; 
‘‘(B) with diverse work experience outside 
of the Federal Government; or 
‘‘(C) with military service. 
‘‘(4) Hire eligible candidates for designated po-
sitions under the program. 
‘‘(5) Develop a structured program comprised 
of acquisition training, on-the-job experience, De-
partment-wide rotations, mentorship, shadowing, 
and other career development opportunities for pro-
gram participants. 
‘‘(6) Provide, beyond required training estab-
lished for program participants, additional special-
ized acquisition training, including small business 
contracting and innovative acquisition techniques 
training. 
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‘‘(d) REPORTS.—Not later than December 31, 2020, 
and annually thereafter through 2026, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Home-
land Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a 
report on the acquisition professional career program. 
Each such report shall include the following information: 
‘‘(1) The number of candidates approved for 
the program. 
‘‘(2) The number of candidates who commenced 
participation in the program, including generalized 
information on such candidates’ backgrounds with 
respect to education and prior work experience, but 
not including personally identifiable information. 
‘‘(3) A breakdown of the number of partici-
pants hired under the program by type of acquisition 
position. 
‘‘(4) A list of Department components and of-
fices that participated in the program and informa-
tion regarding length of time of each program par-
ticipant in each rotation at such components or of-
fices. 
‘‘(5) Program attrition rates and post-program 
graduation retention data, including information on 
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how such data compare to the prior year’s data, as 
available. 
‘‘(6) The Department’s recruiting efforts for 
the program. 
‘‘(7) The Department’s efforts to promote re-
tention of program participants. 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) 
HISPANIC-SERVING
INSTITUTION.—The 
term ‘Hispanic-serving institution’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 502 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a). 
‘‘(2) HISTORICALLY
BLACK
COLLEGES
AND 
UNIVERSITIES.—The term ‘historically Black col-
leges and universities’ has the meaning given the 
term ‘part B institution’ in section 322(2) of Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)). 
‘‘(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 
The term ‘institution of higher education’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 101 of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 
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amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
710 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 711. Acquisition professional career program.’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 30, 
2020. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
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