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