6 U.S.C. § 146 (DOMESTIC SECURITY)
§ 146. Cybersecurity workforce assessment and strategy
(a) Workforce assessment
(1) In general
Not later than 180 days after December 18, 2014, and annually thereafter for 3 years, the Secretary shall assess the cybersecurity workforce of the Department.
(2) Contents
The assessment required under paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum—
(A) an assessment of the readiness and capacity of the workforce of the Department to meet its cybersecurity mission;
(B) information on where cybersecurity workforce positions are located within the Department;
(C) information on which cybersecurity workforce positions are—
(i) performed by—
(I) permanent full-time equivalent employees of the Department, including, to the greatest extent practicable, demographic information about such employees;
(II) independent contractors; and
(III) individuals employed by other Federal agencies, including the National Security Agency; or
(ii) vacant; and
(D) information on—
(i) the percentage of individuals within each Cybersecurity Category and Specialty Area who received essential training to perform their jobs; and
(ii) in cases in which such essential training was not received, what challenges, if any, were encountered with respect to the provision of such essential training.
(b) Workforce strategy
(1) In general
The Secretary shall—
(A) not later than 1 year after December 18, 2014, develop a comprehensive workforce strategy to enhance the readiness, capacity, training, recruitment, and retention of the cybersecurity workforce of the Department; and
(B) maintain and, as necessary, update the comprehensive workforce strategy developed under subparagraph (A).
(2) Contents
The comprehensive workforce strategy developed under paragraph (1) shall include a description of—
(A) a multi-phased recruitment plan, including with respect to experienced professionals, members of disadvantaged or underserved communities, the unemployed, and veterans;
(B) a 5-year implementation plan;
(C) a 10-year projection of the cybersecurity workforce needs of the Department;
(D) any obstacle impeding the hiring and development of a cybersecurity workforce in the Department; and
(E) any gap in the existing cybersecurity workforce of the Department and a plan to fill any such gap.
(c) Updates
The Secretary submit 1 to the appropriate congressional committees annual updates on—
(1) the cybersecurity workforce assessment required under subsection (a); and
(2) the progress of the Secretary in carrying out the comprehensive workforce strategy required to be developed under subsection (b).
(Pub. L. 113–246, § 3, Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 2880.)
heading: Codification
text: Section was enacted as part of the Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act, and not as part of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 which comprises this chapter.
heading: Definitions
text: Pub. L. 113–246, § 2, Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 2880, provided that:
“In this Act [enacting this section and provisions set out as a note under section 101 of this title]—
“(1) the term ‘Cybersecurity Category’ means a position’s or incumbent’s primary work function involving cybersecurity, which is further defined by Specialty Area;
“(2) the term ‘Department’ means the Department of Homeland Security;
“(3) the term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Homeland Security; and
“(4) the term ‘Specialty Area’ means any of the common types of cybersecurity work as recognized by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education’s National Cybersecurity Workforce Framework report.”