H.R. 6631

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6631 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6631

To require the Secretary of Defense to establish a program for the 
development of cybersecurity education at academic institutions, and 
for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 11, 2025

Ms. Elfreth (for herself and Mr. Luttrell) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in 
addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Defense to establish a program for the 
development of cybersecurity education at academic institutions, 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 ``Establishing Cyber Security 
Educational Programs at Academic Institutions Act''.

SEC. 2. COLLABORATIVE CYBERSECURITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.

(a) Program Required.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish and 
carry out a program under which the Secretary shall seek to collaborate 
with academic institutions to develop cybersecurity educational 
programs at such institutions, including by establishing curriculum 
standards, developing competencies in cybersecurity at such 
institutions, promoting community outreach regarding participation in 
such educational programs, integrating best practices across such 
educational programs, and advancing solutions to challenges in 
addressing educational needs with respect to cyber.
(b) Consultation Requirements.--In carrying out the program under 
subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall--
(1) consult with the Director of the National Security 
Agency, the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure 
Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security, the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the 
Director of the National Science Foundation, to ensure that the 
cyber education programs and educational resource development 
efforts and programs of the Federal Government do not compete 
or conflict with each other;
(2) consult with the heads of other appropriate Federal 
agencies and representatives of appropriate private sector 
entities, academic institutions, and other organizations as 
determined necessary by the Secretary; and
(3) manage instructional and participatory opportunities 
available through the efforts, programs, initiatives, and 
investments accounted for in the report required under section 
1649 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2020 (Public Law 116-92; 133 Stat. 1758).
(c) Designations.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out the program under 
subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall designate 
academic institutions that meet the standards established under 
such program in one or more of cyber defense, cyber operations, 
and cyber research.
(2) Criteria.--The Secretary of Defense shall make the 
designations under paragraph (1) based on the following:
(A) Academic requirements and best practices 
identified by the Secretary of Defense in consultation 
with Departments and Agencies enabling the development 
of educational programs reflecting the full range of 
cyber work roles specified in the Defense Cyber 
Workforce Framework, the National Initiative on Cyber 
Education Workforce Framework for Cyber published by 
the National Institute of Standards and Technology in 
NIST Special Publication 800-181, Revision 5, or any 
successor framework.
(B) Criteria and requirements for the academic 
institution emphasizing the following:
(i) Outreach to the surrounding community 
of the academic institution.
(ii) Leadership in contributing to the 
development of a national cyber workforce, 
including cultivating educational institution 
faculty and research leaders.
(iii) Leadership in the development of 
educational and performance expectations for 
cyber professionals, including through 
curriculum and degree offerings to prepare 
future cyber professionals of all knowledge and 
skill levels.
(iv) Demonstrated commitment to 
implementing cyber best practices within the 
academic institution across academic 
disciplines.
(v) Demonstrated commitment to seeking 
solutions to challenges in addressing Federal, 
State, local, territorial, and Tribal-level 
needs.
(vi) Regional accreditation from one of the 
six regional accrediting agencies recognized by 
the Department of Education providing external 
review to assure quality and ongoing 
improvement.
(C) Increasing collaboration within the cyber 
education community to support development and sharing 
of educational materials and curriculum.
(D) Increasing collaboration with private sector 
entities and government employers at the Federal, 
State, local, territorial, and Tribal levels to further 
define workforce requirements and assist in defining 
academic requirements to prepare students for the field 
of cyber.
(d) Metrics and Report.--
(1) Metrics.--The Secretary of Defense shall--
(A) collaborate with the individuals described in 
subsection (b)(1) to identify metrics and annual data 
reporting requirements necessary to assess the degree 
to which the program established under subsection (a) 
is meeting the objectives of such program; and
(B) ensure adequate data and best practices are 
made available to the individuals described in 
subsection (b)(1) to measure the efficacy of such 
program and the benefits provided by such program to 
individuals participating in such program and to the 
Department of Defense compared to costs of such program 
paid by academic institutions participating in such 
program and sponsors of such program.
(2) Annual report.--Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report on the 
benefits provided by the program established under subsection 
(a) to individuals participating in such program and to the 
Department compared to costs of such program paid by academic 
institutions participating in such program and sponsors of such 
program.
(e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to--
(1) supersede the statutory responsibilities or authorities 
of any head of a departments or agencies of the Federal 
Government; or
(2) authorize the appropriation of additional amounts for 
the program established under subsection (a).
(f) Academic Institution Defined.--The term ``academic 
institution'' means--
(1) an institution of higher education (as defined in 
section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1002)) in the United States that conducts research sponsored by 
the Department of Defense; or
(2) a senior military college (as defined in section 
2111a(f) of title 10, United States Code).
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