H.R. 7885

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7885 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7885

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.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 9, 2026

Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania (for himself and Ms. Bonamici) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

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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