Review - HR 7885 Introduced – Cybersecurity Skills Integration

Back in March Rep Thompson (R,PA) introduced HR 7885, the Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act. The bill would require the Department of Education to start a pilot grant program to develop a “postsecondary career and technical education programs that integrate cybersecurity education”. The legislation would authorize $10 million to support the pilot program. 

HR 7885 is essentially identical to HR 6124, the Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act, that was introduced by Thompson in October 2023. No action was taken on that bill in the 118th Congress. 

Moving Forward 

Thompson is a member of the House Education and Labor Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration. This means that there should be sufficient influence to see this bill considered by the Committee. I would expect to see some Republican opposition to the bill because of the $10 million price tag, but that opposition would be offset by Democratic support. I am not sure that it would receive sufficient bipartisan support to be considered in the House under the suspension of the rules process if it were to make it that far. 

Commentary 

This is the first piece of cybersecurity legislation that I have seen where it appears that the crafters of the bill really have a basic understanding of the unique dangers related to attacks on industrial control systems in process industries. In each of the first two parts of the definition of ‘cybersecurity education’ references are made to ‘control systems and operational technology’. It is in the third part of the definition, however, where those potential dangers are really addressed: 

“(C) training to ensure the continuous physical and environmental safety of the operations of critical infrastructure systems.” 

For more information on the provisions of this bill, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/hr-7885-introduced-cybersecurity - subscription required. 

Review - HR 6124 Introduced – Cybersecurity Skills

Last month, Rep Thompson (R,PA) introduced HR 6124, the Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act. The bill would require the Department of Education to start a pilot grant program to develop a “postsecondary career and technical education programs that integrate cybersecurity education”. The legislation would authorize $10-million to support the pilot program.

This bill is identical to HR 9259 that was introduced by Rep Langevin (D,RI) in the 117^th Congress. Thompson was a cosponsor of the earlier version. It was introduced much too late in the session for any actions to be taken. It is interesting that Langevin did not re-introduce this legislation, nor is he listed as a cosponsor, though three other Democrats are.

Moving Forward

Thompson a member of the House Education and Labor Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration. This means that there should be sufficient influence to see this bill considered in Committee. I would expect to see some Republican opposition to the bill because of the $10 million price tag, but that opposition would be off-set by Democratic support.

I am not sure that it would receive sufficient bipartisan support to be considered in the House under the suspension of the rules process if it were to make it that far.

Commentary

This is the first piece of cybersecurity legislation that I have seen where it appears that the crafters of the bill really have a basic understanding of the unique dangers related to attacks on industrial control systems in process industries. In each of the first two parts of the definition of ‘cybersecurity education’ references are made to ‘control systems and operational technology’. It is in the third part of the definition, however, where those potential dangers are really addressed:

“(C) training to ensure the continuous physical and environmental safety of the operations of critical infrastructure systems.”

 

For more details about the provisions of this bill, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/hr-9259-introduced-1bf - subscription required.

Bills Introduced – 10-30-23

Yesterday, with the Senate in Washington and the House meeting in pro forma session, there were 31 bills introduced. One of those bills will receive additional attention in this blog:

HR 6124 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. Thompson, Glenn [Rep.-R-PA-15]

Mention in Passing

There is one piece of legislation introduced yesterday that I would like to mention in passing:

H Res 826 Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to limit the privileged status of a motion causing a vacancy in the Office of Speaker to motions offered by direction of not fewer than 112 Members from the majority party or 112 Members from the minority party. Miller, Max L. [Rep.-R-OH-7]

This rule change resolution is certainly part of the fallout from the Speaker Fiasco earlier this month. Everyone knew that the one-person rule adopted in January was fraught with political peril, but McCarthy was forced into acquiescence by the slim majority the Republicans held, and the pressure applied by a small number of radicals. The number required by this proposed change, 112 or almost 26% of the number of members of the House, seems at first glance to be excessive. 

The interesting thing though is that it specifically allows for the minority party to initiate a move to vacate. I can see that being used in an out-of-majority Republican congress (probably the 119^th) as another tool to obfuscate and impede the operation of Congress like we saw the fringe of the Republican Party do in the 117^th congress.