Ranking Member Thompson Lauds Passage of Congresswoman Jackson Lee’s Cybersecurity Training Bill
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement lauding the passage in the House of Representatives of the DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program Act (H.R.3208), legislation sponsored by the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) to improve the Federal government’s cybersecurity posture.
“I am heartened that the House was able to come together in bipartisan fashion to pass Congresswoman Jackson Lee’s critical cybersecurity legislation today. In her two decades on our Committee, one of her long-time priorities was strengthening our nation’s cyber defenses. She consistently prioritized expanding our cybersecurity workforce, recognizing that investing in cybersecurity education and training would improve our homeland security.
“To reiterate my colleagues on the House floor, Congresswoman Jackson Lee worked year after year to expand the talent pool of trained cybersecurity professionals, most recently with the bill passed today. Her bill will direct the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to provide cybersecurity training to DHS employees with the goal of training existing personnel to fill the nearly 2,000 cybersecurity job vacancies at the Department.
“With cyber threats from adversaries like Russia and China on the rise, filling those vacancies is a national security imperative. Training existing DHS personnel who have already been vetted is a critical part of ensuring DHS has the cybersecurity talent necessary to fulfill its critical cybersecurity mission.
“I want to thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee again for her many years of service on the Committee and for introducing this legislation. We miss her presence every day.”
Congresswoman Jackson Lee’s bill establishes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The program will train DHS employees holding non-cybersecurity positions for work in matters relating to cybersecurity at the department. The curriculum for the program must be consistent with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Framework. The bill also requires CISA to issue an annual report to Congress on these efforts.
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