S 2305 Introduced - Cybersecurity Opportunity

Last month, Sen Ossoff (D,GA) introduced S 2305, the Cybersecurity Opportunity Act. The bill would require DHS to award grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and other minority serving institutions to “expand cybersecurity education opportunities, cybersecurity technology and programs, cybersecurity research, and cybersecurity partnerships with public and private entities.” No monies are authorized in the bill to support these grants.

Ossoff is a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration. This means that there may be enough influence available to see this bill considered in Committee. I see nothing in this bill that would engender any specific opposition, especially since no new funds are being authorized.

This bill will not make it to the floor of the Senate as a stand-alone measure. The only way that Ossoff can see this bill make it to the President’s desk is to see it included in a larger spending or authorization bill. We will be able to see how important this bill is to Ossoff by watching for it as an amendment for one or more bills where open amendments are encouraged.