Review - HR 8469 Introduced – Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce

Back in May, Rep Brown (D,OH) introduced HR 8469, the Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act of 2024. The bill would require CISA to establish, within their current Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program (CETAP), a new program to promote the cybersecurity field to disadvantaged communities. It would authorize $20 million per year through 2030 to support the program.

Moving Forward

While Brown is not a member of the House Homeland Security Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration, four of her cosponsors {Rep Carter (D,LA), Rep Ramirez (D,IL), Rep Thompson (D,MS), Rep Goldman (D,NY), and Rep Jackson-Lee (D,TX)} are members. This means that there may be sufficient influence to see the bill considered in Committee, but with the lack of any Republican cosponsor (because this is, after all a diversity program) and adding a new program to CISA’s slate, means that the legislation will have a hard-time getting enough support form committee republicans to be able to move the program to the floor of the House under the suspension of the rules process.

 

For more details about the provisions of the bill, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/hr-8469-introduced - subscription required.