May 28, 2024 at 11:36AM
Democratic Congresswomen Shontel Brown and Haley Stevens introduced the Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act (H.R.8469) to promote cybersecurity education and jobs for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. It aims to expand education and outreach activities, targeting individuals including those previously incarcerated. The bill faces some concerns about security risks of integrating previously incarcerated individuals into cybersecurity roles.
From the meeting notes, the key points are:
1. Congresswomen Shontel Brown and Haley Stevens introduced the Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act (H.R.8469) aimed at promoting cybersecurity education and jobs to underrepresented and disadvantaged communities.
2. The bill aims to expand education and outreach activities and promote cybersecurity careers to various underrepresented communities, including individuals who may be fresh out of prison.
3. While there is support for reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals into the workforce, concerns were raised regarding the potential security risks associated with allowing individuals with a criminal history to have roles related to national security.
4. The proposed legislation mandates that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) establish a program to promote the cybersecurity field to the mentioned communities as part of its Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program.
5. If enacted, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would receive $20 million annually through 2030 to carry out the program, and CISA would have to report to Congress annually on the efficacy of the program.
6. The bill has a 4% chance of being enacted according to GovTrack, which tracks activities of the United States Congress.
These points provide a comprehensive overview of the meeting notes regarding the Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act, its objectives, potential concerns, and the proposed program’s implementation and monitoring.