Garbarino Introduces Legislation to Add Cybersecurity to School Curriculum as Foreign Cyber Threats Escalate

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY-02), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security Committee’s Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, & Innovation Subcommittee, introduced H.R. 6868, the Cybersecurity Grants For Schools Act of 2022. The bill would authorize the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to award grants to states, local governments, and educational institutions for cybersecurity curriculum and educational tools. Financial assistance will also be awarded to nonprofit organizations and other non-Federal entities that are deemed appropriate by the CISA Director.

Joining Rep. Garbarino as original cosponsors of this bill are Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member John Katko (R-NY-25) and Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV-01).

"The threat of cyberattacks from Russia and other foreign adversaries is more prevalent than ever," said Rep. Garbarino. "Cybersecurity is essential for our national security and economic security. By incorporating cybersecurity into our school's curriculum, alongside core subjects like math and science, we will be able to bring up the next generation with a strong foundation to not only protect themselves individually from cybercrimes, but also to inspire greater participation in the cybersecurity workforce. Cyber attacks are the next frontier in the great power competition with China and Russia and we must act now to mitigate this threat and build resilience throughout our citizenry."

"The Cybersecurity Grants for Schools Act bolsters CISA’s ability to engage with institutions of higher education and make a meaningful impact on the nation’s shortage of cybersecurity professionals by investing in students early in their careers,” said Rep. Katko. “Rep. Garbarino is taking an important step forward with this bill and I applaud his steadfast leadership on this issue."

The grants would be provided through the Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program (CETAP), which was first authorized at CISA by the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to provide cybersecurity resources and training for K-12 education. While this was a positive step, there is still more progress to be made. Cybersecurity Grants For Schools Act would build on and enhance the program by adding the ability to provide the financial assistance needed to cultivate diverse cybersecurity professionals and tackle the workforce gap.

"One of the greatest threats to our national security is the lack of K-12 cybersecurity education to promote cybersecurity literacy and career pathways. We are thrilled to have Reps. Garbarino, Katko and Titus introduce this bill, which will help increase and sustain funding for cybersecurity education and workforce development, a critical component to helping students develop the skills needed to pursue cybersecurity careers in greater numbers," said Kevin Nolten, Vice President of the Cyber Innovation Center. "By codifying the importance of growing our cyber workforce by funding cybersecurity and infrastructure security education and training programs, such as CETAP, we can recruit new students, empower our future workforce, and grow the cybersecurity skills pipeline."

The bill is set to be marked up by the Committee on Homeland Security on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. The text of the bill can be found here.

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