Cybersecurity Opportunity Act
Bill: S.2305 | Sponsor: Sen. Ossoff, Jon (D-GA)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Cybersecurity Opportunity Act
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to award grants to specified institutions of higher education for establishing or expanding cybersecurity education programs and opportunities.
Eligible institutions include minority-serving institutions and historically Black colleges and universities, and grant recipients may use the funds to increase research, education, technical, partnership, and innovation capacity for cybersecurity programs, research, and training experiences.

To enhance cybersecurity education.

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

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Cybersecurity Opportunity 
Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. DR. DAVID SATCHER CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION GRANT 
              PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Authorization of Grants.--The Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) award grants to assist public institutions of 
        higher education that have an enrollment of needy students (as 
        defined in section 312(d) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1058(d))), Historically Black Colleges and 
        Universities, and minority-serving institutions, to establish 
        or expand cybersecurity programs, to build and upgrade 
        institutional capacity to better support new or existing 
        cybersecurity programs, including cybersecurity partnerships 
        with public and private entities, and to support such 
        institutions on the path to producing qualified entrants in the 
        cybersecurity workforce or becoming a National Center of 
        Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity through the program 
        carried out by the National Security Agency and the Department 
        of Homeland Security; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) award grants for a 5-year pilot period to 
        build capacity to public institutions of higher education that 
        have an enrollment of needy students (as defined in section 
        312(d) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1058(d))), Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and 
        minority-serving institutions, to expand cybersecurity 
        education opportunities, cybersecurity technology and programs, 
        cybersecurity research, and cybersecurity partnerships with 
        public and private entities.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Applications.--An eligible institution seeking a grant 
under subsection (a) shall submit an application to the Secretary of 
Homeland Security at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may reasonably require, including a 
statement of how the institution will use the funds awarded through the 
grant to expand cybersecurity education opportunities at the eligible 
institution.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Activities.--An eligible institution that receives a 
grant under this section may use the funds awarded through such grant 
for increasing research, education, technical, partnership, and 
innovation capacity, including for--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) building and upgrading institutional capacity 
        to better support new or existing cybersecurity programs, 
        including cybersecurity partnerships with public and private 
        entities; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) building and upgrading institutional capacity 
        to provide hands-on research and training experiences for 
        undergraduate and graduate students.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Cybersecurity Opportunity Act''.

SEC. 2. DR. DAVID SATCHER CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Enrollment of needy students.--The term ``enrollment of 
        needy students'' has the meaning given the term in section 
        312(d) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(d)).
            (2) Historically black college or university.--The term 
        ``historically Black college or university'' has the meaning 
        given the term ``part B institution'' as defined in section 322 
        of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (4) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
        serving institution'' means an institution listed in section 
        371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1067q(a)).
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Homeland Security.
    (b) Authorization of Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
                    (A) award grants to assist institutions of higher 
                education that have an enrollment of needy students, 
                historically Black colleges and universities, and 
                minority-serving institutions, to establish or expand 
                cybersecurity programs, to build and upgrade 
                institutional capacity to better support new or 
                existing cybersecurity programs, including 
                cybersecurity partnerships with public and private 
                entities, and to support such institutions on the path 
                to producing qualified entrants in the cybersecurity 
                workforce or becoming a National Center of Academic 
                Excellence in Cybersecurity; and
                    (B) award grants to build capacity at institutions 
                of higher education that have an enrollment of needy 
                students, historically Black colleges and universities, 
                and minority-serving institutions, to expand 
                cybersecurity education opportunities, cybersecurity 
                technology and programs, cybersecurity research, and 
                cybersecurity partnerships with public and private 
                entities.
            (2) Reservation.--The Secretary shall award not less than 
        50 percent of the amount available for grants under this Act to 
        historically Black colleges and universities and minority-
        serving institutions.
            (3) Coordination.--The Secretary shall carry out this 
        section in coordination with the National Initiative for 
        Cybersecurity Education at the National Institute of Standards 
        and Technology.
            (4) Sunset.--The Secretary's authority to award grants 
        under paragraph (1) shall terminate on the date that is 5 years 
        after the date the Secretary first awards a grant under 
        paragraph (1).
            (5) Amounts to remain available.--Notwithstanding section 
        1552 of title 31, United States Code, or any other provision of 
        law, funds available to the Secretary for obligation for a 
        grant under this section shall remain available for expenditure 
        for 100 days after the last day of the performance period of 
        such grant.
    (c) Applications.--An eligible institution seeking a grant under 
subsection (a) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may reasonably require, including a statement of how the institution 
will use the funds awarded through the grant to expand cybersecurity 
education opportunities at the eligible institution.
    (d) Activities.--An eligible institution that receives a grant 
under this section may use the funds awarded through such grant for 
increasing research, education, technical, partnership, and innovation 
capacity, including for--
            (1) building and upgrading institutional capacity to better 
        support new or existing cybersecurity programs, including 
        cybersecurity partnerships with public and private entities;
            (2) building and upgrading institutional capacity to 
        provide hands-on research and training experiences for 
        undergraduate and graduate students; and
            (3) outreach and recruitment to ensure students are aware 
        of such new or existing cybersecurity programs, including 
        cybersecurity partnerships with public and private entities.
    (e) Reporting Requirements.--Not later than--
            (1) 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
        annually thereafter until the Secretary submits the report 
        under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall prepare and submit to 
        Congress a report on the status and progress of implementation 
        of the grant program under this Act, including on the number 
        and nature of institutions participating, the number and nature 
        of students served by institutions receiving grants, the level 
        of funding provided to grant recipients, the types of 
        activities being funded by the grants program, and plans for 
        future implementation and development; and
            (2) 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
        Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress a report on the 
        status of cybersecurity education programming and capacity-
        building at institutions receiving grants under this Act, 
        including changes in the scale and scope of these programs, 
        associated facilities, or in accreditation status, and on the 
        educational and employment outcomes of students participating 
        in cybersecurity programs that have received support under this 
        Act.
    (f) Performance Metrics.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
establish performance metrics for grants awarded under this section.
                                                       Calendar No. 256

117th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 2305

                          [Report No. 117-59]

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