Securing American Research from Cyber Theft Act
Bill: H.R.3747 | Sponsor: Rep. Babin, Brian (R-TX)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Securing American Research From Cyber Theft Act
This bill establishes a pilot program and modifies a current program related to cybersecurity for federally supported research and data.
The bill directs the National Science Foundation to award grants to establish a pilot program to ensure the security of federally supported research data and to assist regional institutions of higher education and their researchers in complying with regulations regarding the safeguarding of sensitive information and other relevant regulations and federal guidelines.
The bill requires the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program to provide for improving the security, reliability, and resiliency of computing and networking systems used by higher education and other nonprofit research institutions for the processing, storage, and transmission of sensitive federally funded research and associated data.

To provide for a pilot project for a nationwide network of secure 
 computing enclaves for federally funded research in universities, and 
                          for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Securing American Research from 
Cyber Theft Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purposes of this Act are to help institutions of higher 
education protect federally funded research from cyber theft and 
interference by--
            (1) directing the Networking and Information Technology 
        Research and Development Program to provide for support and 
        guidance on improving the security of academic computing and 
        networking systems that process, store, and transmit federally 
        funded research; and
            (2) establishing a pilot program to support regional secure 
        computing enclaves for academia to provide researchers with 
        secure data storage and adequately protect Federal Government 
        data.

SEC. 3. NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
              UPDATE.

    Section 101(a)(1) of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 
U.S.C. 5511) is amended--
            (1) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the following:
                    ``(J) provide for improving the security, 
                reliability, and resiliency of computing and networking 
                systems used by institutions of higher education and 
                other nonprofit research institutions for the 
                processing, storage and transmission of sensitive 
                federally funded research and associated data;''; and
            (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (J) through (O) as 
        subparagraphs (K) through (P), respectively.

SEC. 4. COMPUTING ENCLAVE PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the National Science Foundation, 
in consultation with the Director of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology and the Secretary of Energy, shall award 
grants to establish a pilot program to ensure the security of 
federally-supported research data and to assist regional institutions 
of higher education and their researchers in compliance with 
regulations regarding the safeguarding of sensitive information and 
other relevant regulations and Federal guidelines.
    (b) Structure.--In carrying out the pilot program established 
pursuant to subsection (a), the Director shall select three 
institutions of higher education from among institutions classified 
under the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research Carnegie 
Classification as a doctorate-granting university with a very high 
level of research activity, and with a history of working with secure 
information for the development, installation, maintenance, or 
sustainment of secure computing enclaves.
    (c) Regionalization.--
            (1) In general.--In selecting universities pursuant to 
        subsection (b), the Director shall give preference to 
        institutions of higher education with the capability of serving 
        other regional universities.
            (2) Geographic dispersal.--The enclaves should be 
        geographically dispersed to better meet the needs of regional 
        interests.
    (d) Program Elements.--The Director shall work with institutions of 
higher education selected pursuant to subsection (b) to--
            (1) develop an approved design blueprint for compliance 
        with Federal data protection protocols;
            (2) develop a comprehensive and confidential list, or a 
        bill of materials, of each binary component of the software, 
        firmware, or product that is required to deploy additional 
        secure computing enclaves;
            (3) develop templates for all policies and procedures 
        required to operate the secure computing enclave in a research 
        setting;
            (4) develop a system security plan template; and
            (5) develop a process for managing a plan of action and 
        milestones for the secure computing enclave.
    (e) Duration.--Subject to other availability of appropriations, the 
pilot program established pursuant to subsection (a) shall operate for 
not less than 3 years.
    (f) Report.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation shall report to Congress not later than 6 months 
        after the completion of the pilot program under subsection (a).
            (2) Contents.--The report required under paragraph (1) 
        shall include--
                    (A) an assessment of the pilot program under 
                subsection (a), including an assessment of the security 
                benefits provided by such secure computing enclaves;
                    (B) recommendations related to the value of 
                expanding the network of secure computing enclaves; and
                    (C) recommendations on the efficacy of the use of 
                secure computing enclaves by other Federal agencies in 
                a broader effort to expand security of Federal 
                research.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Director, $38,000,000 for fiscal years 2022 through 
2024, to carry out the activities outlined in this section.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the National Science Foundation.
            (2) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
                                 <all>