Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act
Bill: H.R.9259 | Sponsor: Rep. Langevin, James R. (D-RI)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act
This bill requires the Department of Education to establish a pilot program in order to award grants to partnerships between postsecondary educational institutions and employers in critical infrastructure sectors for cybersecurity education programs.


To direct the Secretary of Education to establish a pilot program to 
     award competitive grants for the integration of cybersecurity 
                   education, 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 ``Cybersecurity Skills Integration 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to improve the cybersecurity 
competencies of the critical infrastructure workforce, particularly 
operators of critical infrastructure technology, by developing 
postsecondary career and technical education programs that integrate 
cybersecurity education.

SEC. 3. CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--From the amounts made available to carry out this 
Act, the Secretary of Education shall, not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, establish a pilot program under which 
the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible 
partnerships for--
            (1) the development and implementation of postsecondary 
        career and technical education programs that incorporate 
        cybersecurity education and prepare individuals to meet 
        workforce needs in critical infrastructure sectors; and
            (2) the integration of cybersecurity education into 
        existing postsecondary career and technical education programs 
        that prepare individuals to meet workforce needs in critical 
        infrastructure sectors.
    (b) Consultation and Coordination.--In awarding grants under this 
Act, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Labor, the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, to determine the greatest workforce 
needs in critical infrastructure sectors.
    (c) Grant Amount.--The amount of any grant made under this Act 
shall not exceed $500,000 in any fiscal year.
    (d) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
Act, an eligible partnership shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, containing such information as 
the Secretary may reasonably require, and including a description of--
            (1) the roles and responsibilities of each partner in the 
        eligible partnership, and each partner's capacity to support 
        the postsecondary career and technical education program to be 
        developed and implemented with funds awarded under this Act, or 
        the postsecondary career and technical education program into 
        which cybersecurity education will be integrated with funds 
        awarded under this Act;
            (2) the critical infrastructure sector or sectors that such 
        postsecondary career and technical education program prepares 
        individuals to enter;
            (3) the in-demand occupation within such sector or sectors 
        that such postsecondary career and technical education program 
        prepares individuals to enter;
            (4) the workforce needs of such critical infrastructure 
        sector or sectors, including cybersecurity workforce needs, and 
        how the postsecondary career and technical education program 
        will meet such workforce needs;
            (5) how the eligible partnership will incorporate 
        cybersecurity education aligned to the National Initiative for 
        Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce 
        Framework developed by the National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology of the Department of Commerce, or successor 
        framework, into such postsecondary career and technical 
        education program;
            (6) the assessment, capstone project, or other means of 
        demonstrating knowledge and cybersecurity skills specific to 
        the critical infrastructure sector or sectors that such 
        postsecondary career and technical education program prepares 
        individuals to enter, and an assurance that such assessment, 
        project, or other demonstration of knowledge and skills will be 
        a requirement for program completion;
            (7) the work-based learning opportunities the eligible 
        partnership will offer;
            (8) how such postsecondary career and technical education 
        program will lead to a recognized postsecondary credential and 
        employment in the critical infrastructure sector or sectors 
        targeted by the postsecondary career and technical education 
        program;
            (9) the process through which the cybersecurity education 
        curriculum and educational materials developed or integrated 
        using such grant will be updated annually to include the most 
        recent information on cybersecurity threats specific to such 
        critical infrastructure sector or sectors;
            (10) how such postsecondary career and technical education 
        program will be sustained following the grant period;
            (11) how such postsecondary career and technical education 
        program will promote diversity within the cybersecurity 
        workforce in critical infrastructure sectors; and
            (12) any other purpose for which the eligible partnership 
        intends to use funds awarded under this Act.
    (e) Regional Diversity.--When awarding grants under this Act, the 
Secretary shall ensure that grants are awarded to eligible partnerships 
in different regions.
    (f) Reporting Requirements.--An eligible partnership that receives 
a grant under this Act shall annually submit a report to the Secretary 
that includes--
            (1) a description of how any funds awarded to the eligible 
        partnership under this Act have been used during the period 
        covered by the report;
            (2) the number of students who have received a recognized 
        postsecondary credential during such period from the 
        postsecondary career and technical education program into which 
        cybersecurity education was incorporated using such funds, 
        disaggregated by the subgroups of students described in section 
        1111(c)(2)(B) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(c)(2)(B)) and by each special population;
            (3) a description of any updates made during the preceding 
        year to the cybersecurity education curriculum and educational 
        materials of such postsecondary career and technical education 
        program in accordance with the requirements of subsection 
        (d)(9); and
            (4) the percentage of participants in unsubsidized 
        employment in an in-demand occupation in a critical 
        infrastructure sector targeted by the postsecondary career and 
        technical education program after exiting the postsecondary 
        career and technical education program.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this Act $10,000,000.
    (h) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Critical infrastructure.--The term ``critical 
        infrastructure'' has the meaning given the term in section 
        1016(e) of the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)).
            (2) Cybersecurity education.--The term ``cybersecurity 
        education'' shall mean education on critical infrastructure 
        cyber defense, including--
                    (A) ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and 
                availability of information systems used in critical 
                infrastructure, including control systems and 
                operational technology;
                    (B) developing engineering skills applicable to 
                industrial control systems and operational technologies 
                used in critical infrastructure systems; and
                    (C) training to ensure the continuous physical and 
                environmental safety of the operations of critical 
                infrastructure systems.
            (3) Eligible partnership.--
                    (A) Required partners.--The term ``eligible 
                partnership'' means a partnership that includes--
                            (i) a postsecondary educational 
                        institution; and
                            (ii) 2 or more public or private employers, 
                        in a critical infrastructure sector, with 
                        demonstrated cybersecurity workforce needs, 
                        that is located in the region where the 
                        postsecondary career and technical education 
                        program will be developed and implemented with 
                        a grant awarded under this Act.
                    (B) Optional partners.--The partnership may also 
                include one or more--
                            (i) community stakeholders (such as local 
                        governments, nonprofit institutions, economic 
                        development organizations, planning agencies, 
                        labor organizations, or industry associations);
                            (ii) local educational agencies (as the 
                        term is defined in section 8101 of the 
                        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
                        (20 U.S.C. 7801)); and
                            (iii) eligible agencies that are located in 
                        the region where the postsecondary career and 
                        technical education program will be developed 
                        and implemented with funds awarded under this 
                        Act.
            (4) Eligible agency.--The term ``eligible agency'' means a 
        State board designated or created consistent with State law as 
        the sole State agency responsible for the administration of 
        career and technical education in the State or for the 
        supervision of the administration of career and technical 
        education in the State.
            (5) In-demand industry sector or occupation.--The term 
        ``in-demand industry sector or occupation'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (6) Postsecondary educational institution.--The term 
        ``postsecondary educational institution'' means--
                    (A) an institution of higher education (defined in 
                section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1001)) that provides not less than a 2-year 
                program of instruction that is acceptable for credit 
                toward an associate's or bachelor's degree;
                    (B) a tribally controlled college or university 
                (defined in section 2(a)(4) of the Tribally Controlled 
                Colleges and Universities Assistance Act of 1978 (25 
                U.S.C. 1801(a)(4))); or
                    (C) a nonprofit educational institution offering 
                certificate or other skilled training programs at the 
                postsecondary level.
            (7) Postsecondary career and technical education program.--
        The term ``postsecondary career and technical education 
        program'' means a coordinated, nonduplicative sequence of 
        academic and technical content at the postsecondary level 
        that--
                    (A) addresses both academic and technical knowledge 
                and skills, including employability skills;
                    (B) is aligned with the needs of industries in the 
                economy of the State, region, Tribal community, or 
                local area;
                    (C) progresses in specificity (beginning with all 
                aspects of an industry or career cluster and leading to 
                more occupation-specific instruction);
                    (D) has multiple entry and exit points that 
                incorporate credentialing; and
                    (E) culminates in the attainment of a recognized 
                postsecondary credential.
            (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (9) Work based learning.--The term ``work based learning'' 
        means sustained interactions with industry or community 
        professionals in real workplace settings, to the extent 
        practicable, or simulated environments at an educational 
        institution that foster in-depth, firsthand engagement with the 
        tasks required in a given career field, that are aligned to 
        curriculum and instruction.
            (10) Recognized postsecondary credential.--The term 
        ``recognized postsecondary credential'' has the meaning given 
        the term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (11) Special populations.--The term ``special populations'' 
        means--
                    (A) individuals with disabilities;
                    (B) individuals from economically disadvantaged 
                families, including low-income youth and adults;
                    (C) individuals preparing for non-traditional 
                fields;
                    (D) single parents, including single pregnant 
                women;
                    (E) out-of-workforce individuals;
                    (F) English learners;
                    (G) homeless individuals described in section 
                11434a of title 42, United States Code;
                    (H) youth who are in, or have aged out of, the 
                foster care system; and
                    (I) youth with a parent who--
                            (i) is a member of the Armed Forces (as 
                        such term is defined in section 101(a)(4) of 
                        title 10, United States Code); and
                            (ii) is on active duty (as such term is 
                        defined in section 101(d)(1) of such title).
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