Library / Laws / 113th / hr / H.R. 3696 / Referred from Senate
IIB
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 3696
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 29, 2014Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
AN ACT
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make certain improvements regarding cybersecurity and
critical infrastructure protection, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the National Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2014.
2.
Table of contents
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Title I—Securing the Nation Against Cyber Attack
Sec. 101. Homeland Security Act of 2002 definitions.
Sec. 102. Enhancement of cybersecurity.
Sec. 103. Protection of critical infrastructure and information sharing.
Sec. 104. National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center.
Sec. 105. Cyber incident response and technical assistance.
Sec. 106. Streamlining of Department cybersecurity organization.
Title II—Public-Private Collaboration on Cybersecurity
Sec. 201. Public-private collaboration on cybersecurity.
Sec. 202. SAFETY Act and qualifying cyber incidents.
Sec. 203. Prohibition on new regulatory authority.
Sec. 204. Prohibition on additional authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 205. Prohibition on collection activities to track individuals’ personally identifiable
information.
Sec. 206. Cybersecurity scholars.
Sec. 207. National Research Council study on the resilience and reliability of the Nation’s power
grid.
Title III—Homeland Security Cybersecurity Workforce
Sec. 301. Homeland security cybersecurity workforce.
Sec. 302. Personnel authorities.
I
Securing the Nation Against Cyber Attack
101.
Homeland Security Act of 2002 definitions
Section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101) is amended by adding at the end the
following new paragraphs:
(19) The term critical infrastructure has the meaning given that term in section 1016(e) of the USA Patriot Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)).
(20) The term critical infrastructure owner means a person that owns critical infrastructure.
(21) The term critical infrastructure operator means a critical infrastructure owner or other person that manages, runs, or operates, in whole or
in part, the day-to-day operations of critical infrastructure.
(22) The term cyber incident means an incident, or an attempt to cause an incident, that, if successful, would—
(A) jeopardize or imminently jeopardize, without lawful authority, the security, integrity,
confidentiality, or availability of an information system or network of
information systems or any information stored on, processed on, or
transiting such a system or network;
(B) constitute a violation or imminent threat of violation of law, security policies, security
procedures, or acceptable use policies related to such a system or
network, or an act of terrorism against such a system or network; or
(C) result in the denial of access to or degradation, disruption, or destruction of such a system or
network, or the defeat of an operations control or technical control
essential to the security or operation of such a system or network.
(23) The term cybersecurity mission means activities that encompass the full range of threat reduction, vulnerability reduction,
deterrence, incident response, resiliency, and recovery activities to
foster the security and stability of cyberspace.
(24) The term cybersecurity purpose means the purpose of ensuring the security, integrity, confidentiality, or availability of, or
safeguarding, an information system or network of information systems,
including protecting such a system or network, or data residing on such a
system or network, including protection of such a system or network, from—
(A) a vulnerability of such a system or network;
(B) a threat to the security, integrity, confidentiality, or availability of such a system or network,
or any information stored on, processed on, or transiting such a system or
network;
(C) efforts to deny access to or degrade, disrupt, or destroy such a system or network; or
(D) efforts to gain unauthorized access to such a system or network, including to gain such
unauthorized access for the purpose of exfiltrating information stored on,
processed on, or transiting such a system or network.
(25) The term cyber threat means any action that may result in unauthorized access to, exfiltration of, manipulation of, harm
of, or impairment to the security, integrity, confidentiality, or
availability of an information system or network of information systems,
or information that is stored on, processed by, or transiting such a
system or network.
(26) The term cyber threat information means information directly pertaining to—
(A) a vulnerability of an information system or network of information systems of a government or
private entity;
(B) a threat to the security, integrity, confidentiality, or availability of such a system or network
of a government or private entity, or any information stored on, processed
on, or transiting such a system or network;
(C) efforts to deny access to or degrade, disrupt, or destroy such a system or network of a government
or private entity;
(D) efforts to gain unauthorized access to such a system or network, including to gain such
unauthorized access for the purpose of exfiltrating information stored on,
processed on, or transiting such a system or network; or
(E) an act of terrorism against an information system or network of information systems.
(27) The term Federal civilian information systems—
(A) means information, information systems, and networks of information systems that are owned,
operated, controlled, or licensed for use by, or on behalf of, any Federal
agency, including such systems or networks used or operated by another
entity on behalf of a Federal agency; but
(B) does not include—
(i) a national security system; or
(ii) information, information systems, and networks of information systems that are owned, operated,
controlled, or licensed solely for use by, or on behalf of, the Department
of Defense, a military department, or an element of the intelligence
community.
(28) The term information security means the protection of information, information systems, and networks of information systems from
unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or
destruction in order to provide—
(A) integrity, including guarding against improper information modification or destruction, including
ensuring nonrepudiation and authenticity;
(B) confidentiality, including preserving authorized restrictions on access and disclosure, including
means for protecting personal privacy and proprietary information; and
(C) availability, including ensuring timely and reliable access to and use of information.
(29) The term information system means the underlying framework and functions used to process, transmit, receive, or store
information electronically, including programmable electronic devices,
communications networks, and industrial or supervisory control systems and
any associated hardware, software, or data.
(30) The term private entity means any individual or any private or publically-traded company, public or private utility
(including a utility that is a unit of a State or local government, or a
political subdivision of a State government), organization, or
corporation, including an officer, employee, or agent thereof.
(31) The term shared situational awareness means an environment in which cyber threat information is shared in real time between all
designated Federal cyber operations centers to provide actionable
information about all known cyber threats.
.
102.
Enhancement of cybersecurity
(a)
In general
Subtitle C of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
226.
Enhancement of cybersecurity
The Secretary, in collaboration with the heads of other appropriate Federal Government entities,
shall conduct activities for cybersecurity purposes, including the
provision of shared situational awareness to each other to enable
real-time, integrated, and operational actions to protect from, prevent,
mitigate, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents.
.
(b)
Clerical amendments
(1)
Subtitle heading
The heading for subtitle C of title II of such Act is amended to read as follows:
C
Cybersecurity and Information Sharing
.
(2)
Table of contents
The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended—
(A) by adding after the item relating to section 225 the following new item:
Sec. 226. Enhancement of cybersecurity.
;
and
(B) by striking the item relating to subtitle C of title II and inserting the following new item:
Subtitle C—Cybersecurity and Information Sharing
.
103.
Protection of critical infrastructure and information sharing
(a)
In general
Subtitle C of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by section 102, is further
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
227.
Protection of critical infrastructure and information sharing
(a)
Protection of critical infrastructure
(1)
In general
The Secretary shall coordinate, on an ongoing basis, with Federal, State, and local governments,
national laboratories, critical infrastructure owners, critical
infrastructure operators, and other cross sector coordinating entities to—
(A) facilitate a national effort to strengthen and maintain secure, functioning, and resilient critical
infrastructure from cyber threats;
(B) ensure that Department policies and procedures enable critical infrastructure owners and critical
infrastructure operators to receive real-time, actionable, and relevant
cyber threat information;
(C) seek industry sector-specific expertise to—
(i) assist in the development of voluntary security and resiliency strategies; and
(ii) ensure that the allocation of Federal resources are cost effective and reduce any burden on
critical infrastructure owners and critical infrastructure operators;
(D) upon request of entities, facilitate and assist risk management efforts of such entities to reduce
vulnerabilities, identify and disrupt threats, and minimize consequences
to their critical infrastructure;
(E) upon request of critical infrastructure owners or critical infrastructure operators, provide
education and assistance to such owners and operators on how they may use
protective measures and countermeasures to strengthen the security and
resilience of the Nation’s critical infrastructure; and
(F) coordinate a research and development strategy to facilitate and promote advancements and
innovation in cybersecurity technologies to protect critical
infrastructure.
(2)
Additional responsibilities
The Secretary shall—
(A) manage Federal efforts to secure, protect, and ensure the resiliency of Federal civilian
information systems using a risk-based and performance-based approach,
and, upon request of critical infrastructure owners or critical
infrastructure operators, support such owners’ and operators’ efforts to
secure, protect, and ensure the resiliency of critical infrastructure from
cyber threats;
(B) direct an entity within the Department to serve as a Federal civilian entity by and among Federal,
State, and local governments, private entities, and critical
infrastructure sectors to provide multi-directional sharing of real-time,
actionable, and relevant cyber threat information;
(C) build upon existing mechanisms to promote a national awareness effort to educate the general public
on the importance of securing information systems;
(D) upon request of Federal, State, and local government entities and private entities, facilitate
expeditious cyber incident response and recovery assistance, and provide
analysis and warnings related to threats to and vulnerabilities of
critical information systems, crisis and consequence management support,
and other remote or on-site technical assistance with the heads of other
appropriate Federal agencies to Federal, State, and local government
entities and private entities for cyber incidents affecting critical
infrastructure;
(E) engage with international partners to strengthen the security and resilience of domestic critical
infrastructure and critical infrastructure located outside of the United
States upon which the United States depends; and
(F) conduct outreach to educational institutions, including historically black colleges and
universities, Hispanic serving institutions, Native American colleges, and
institutions serving persons with disabilities, to encourage such
institutions to promote cybersecurity awareness.
(3)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this section may be construed to require any private entity to request assistance from
the Secretary, or require any private entity requesting such assistance to
implement any measure or recommendation suggested by the Secretary.
(b)
Critical infrastructure sectors
The Secretary, in collaboration with the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, shall
designate critical infrastructure sectors (that may include subdivisions
of sectors within a sector as the Secretary may determine appropriate).
The critical infrastructure sectors designated under this subsection may
include the following:
(1) Chemical.
(2) Commercial facilities.
(3) Communications.
(4) Critical manufacturing.
(5) Dams.
(6) Defense Industrial Base.
(7) Emergency services.
(8) Energy.
(9) Financial services.
(10) Food and agriculture.
(11) Government facilities.
(12) Healthcare and public health.
(13) Information technology.
(14) Nuclear reactors, materials, and waste.
(15) Transportation systems.
(16) Water and wastewater systems.
(17) Such other sectors as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(c)
Sector specific agencies
The Secretary, in collaboration with the relevant critical infrastructure sector and the heads of
other appropriate Federal agencies, shall recognize the Federal agency
designated as of November 1, 2013, as the Sector Specific Agency for each critical infrastructure sector designated under subsection (b). If the designated Sector
Specific Agency for a particular critical infrastructure sector is the
Department, for the purposes of this section, the Secretary shall carry
out this section. The Secretary, in coordination with the heads of each
such Sector Specific Agency shall—
(1) support the security and resilience activities of the relevant critical infrastructure sector in
accordance with this subtitle; and
(2) provide institutional knowledge and specialized expertise to the relevant critical infrastructure
sector.
(d)
Sector coordinating councils
(1)
Recognition
The Secretary, in collaboration with each critical infrastructure sector and the relevant Sector
Specific Agency, shall recognize and partner with the Sector Coordinating
Council for each critical infrastructure sector designated under
subsection (b) to coordinate with each such sector on security and
resilience activities and emergency response and recovery efforts.
(2)
Membership
(A)
In general
The Sector Coordinating Council for a critical infrastructure sector designated under subsection
(b) shall—
(i) be comprised exclusively of relevant critical infrastructure owners, critical infrastructure
operators, private entities, and representative trade associations for the
sector;
(ii) reflect the unique composition of each sector; and
(iii) as appropriate, include relevant small, medium, and large critical infrastructure owners, critical
infrastructure operators, private entities, and representative trade
associations for the sector.
(B)
Prohibition
No government entity with regulating authority shall be a member of the Sector Coordinating
Council.
(C)
Limitation
The Secretary shall have no role in the determination of the membership of a Sector Coordinating
Council.
(3)
Roles and responsibilities
The Sector Coordinating Council for a critical infrastructure sector shall—
(A) serve as a self-governing, self-organized primary policy, planning, and strategic communications
entity for coordinating with the Department, the relevant Sector-Specific
Agency designated under subsection (c), and the relevant Information
Sharing and Analysis Centers under subsection (e) on security and
resilience activities and emergency response and recovery efforts;
(B) establish governance and operating procedures, and designate a chairperson for the sector to carry
out the activities described in this subsection;
(C) coordinate with the Department, the relevant Information Sharing and Analysis Centers under
subsection (e), and other Sector Coordinating Councils to update,
maintain, and exercise the National Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan
in accordance with section 229(b); and
(D) provide any recommendations to the Department on infrastructure protection technology gaps to help
inform research and development efforts at the Department.
(e)
Sector information sharing and analysis centers
(1)
Recognition
The Secretary, in collaboration with the relevant Sector Coordinating Council and the critical
infrastructure sector represented by such Council, and in coordination
with the relevant Sector Specific Agency, shall recognize at least one
Information Sharing and Analysis Center for each critical infrastructure
sector designated under subsection (b) for purposes of paragraph (3). No
other Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations, including
Information Sharing and Analysis Centers, may be precluded from having an
information sharing relationship within the National Cybersecurity and
Communications Integration Center established pursuant to section 228.
Nothing in this subsection or any other provision of this subtitle may be
construed to limit, restrict, or condition any private entity or activity
utilized by, among, or between private entities.
(2)
Roles and responsibilities
In addition to such other activities as may be authorized by law, at least one Information Sharing
and Analysis Center for a critical infrastructure sector shall—
(A) serve as an information sharing resource for such sector and promote ongoing multi-directional
sharing of real-time, relevant, and actionable cyber threat information
and analysis by and among such sector, the Department, the relevant Sector
Specific Agency, and other critical infrastructure sector Information
Sharing and Analysis Centers;
(B) establish governance and operating procedures to carry out the activities conducted under this
subsection;
(C) serve as an emergency response and recovery operations coordination point for such sector, and upon
request, facilitate cyber incident response capabilities in coordination
with the Department, the relevant Sector Specific Agency and the relevant
Sector Coordinating Council;
(D) facilitate cross-sector coordination and sharing of cyber threat information to prevent related or
consequential impacts to other critical infrastructure sectors;
(E) coordinate with the Department, the relevant Sector Coordinating Council, the relevant Sector
Specific Agency, and other critical infrastructure sector Information
Sharing and Analysis Centers on the development, integration, and
implementation of procedures to support technology neutral, real-time
information sharing capabilities and mechanisms within the National
Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center established pursuant
to section 228, including—
(i) the establishment of a mechanism to voluntarily report identified vulnerabilities and opportunities
for improvement;
(ii) the establishment of metrics to assess the effectiveness and timeliness of the Department’s and
Information Sharing and Analysis Centers’ information sharing
capabilities; and
(iii) the establishment of a mechanism for anonymous suggestions and comments;
(F) implement an integration and analysis function to inform sector planning, risk mitigation, and
operational activities regarding the protection of each critical
infrastructure sector from cyber incidents;
(G) combine consequence, vulnerability, and threat information to share actionable assessments of
critical infrastructure sector risks from cyber incidents;
(H) coordinate with the Department, the relevant Sector Specific Agency, and the relevant Sector
Coordinating Council to update, maintain, and exercise the National
Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan in accordance with section 229(b);
and
(I) safeguard cyber threat information from unauthorized disclosure.
(3)
Funding
Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2014, 2015, and 2016 for the
Cybersecurity and Communications Office of the Department, the Secretary
is authorized to use not less than $25,000,000 for any such year for
operations support at the National Cybersecurity and Communications
Integration Center established under section 228(a) of all recognized
Information Sharing and Analysis Centers under paragraph (1) of this
subsection.
(f)
Clearances
The Secretary—
(1) shall expedite the process of security clearances under Executive Order No. 13549 or successor
orders for appropriate representatives of Sector Coordinating Councils and
the critical infrastructure sector Information Sharing and Analysis
Centers; and
(2) may so expedite such processing to—
(A) appropriate personnel of critical infrastructure owners and critical infrastructure operators; and
(B) any other person as determined by the Secretary.
(g)
Public-Private collaboration
The Secretary, in collaboration with the critical infrastructure sectors designated under
subsection (b), such sectors’ Sector Specific Agencies recognized under
subsection (c), and the Sector Coordinating Councils recognized under
subsection (d), shall—
(1) conduct an analysis and review of the existing public-private partnership model and evaluate how
the model between the Department and critical infrastructure owners and
critical infrastructure operators can be improved to ensure the
Department, critical infrastructure owners, and critical infrastructure
operators are equal partners and regularly collaborate on all programs and
activities of the Department to protect critical infrastructure;
(2) develop and implement procedures to ensure continuous, collaborative, and effective interactions
between the Department, critical infrastructure owners, and critical
infrastructure operators; and
(3) ensure critical infrastructure sectors have a reasonable period for review and comment of all
jointly produced materials with the Department.
(h)
Recommendations regarding new agreements
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit
to the appropriate congressional committees recommendations on how to
expedite the implementation of information sharing agreements for
cybersecurity purposes between the Secretary and critical information
owners and critical infrastructure operators and other private entities.
Such recommendations shall address the development and utilization of a
scalable form that retains all privacy and other protections in such
agreements in existence as of such date, including Cooperative and
Research Development Agreements. Such recommendations should also include
any additional authorities or resources that may be needed to carry out
the implementation of any such new agreements.
(i)
Rule of construction
No provision of this title may be construed as modifying, limiting, or otherwise affecting the
authority of any other Federal agency under any other provision of law.
.
(b)
Clerical amendment
The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by adding after the item relating to
section 226 (as added by section 102) the following new item:
Sec. 227. Protection of critical infrastructure and information sharing.
.
104.
National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center
(a)
In general
Subtitle C of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by sections 102 and 103, is
further amended by adding at the end the following new section:
228.
National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center
(a)
Establishment
There is established in the Department the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration
Center (referred to in this section as the Center), which shall be a Federal civilian information sharing interface that provides shared situational
awareness to enable real-time, integrated, and operational actions across
the Federal Government, and share cyber threat information by and among
Federal, State, and local government entities, Information Sharing and
Analysis Centers, private entities, and critical infrastructure owners and
critical infrastructure operators that have an information sharing
relationship with the Center.
(b)
Composition
The Center shall include each of the following entities:
(1) At least one Information Sharing and Analysis Center established under section 227(e) for each
critical infrastructure sector.
(2) The Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center to collaborate with State and local
governments.
(3) The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team to coordinate cyber threat information sharing,
proactively manage cyber risks to the United States, collaboratively
respond to cyber incidents, provide technical assistance to information
system owners and operators, and disseminate timely notifications
regarding current and potential cyber threats and vulnerabilities.
(4) The Industrial Control System Cyber Emergency Response Team to coordinate with industrial control
systems owners and operators and share industrial control systems-related
security incidents and mitigation measures.
(5) The National Coordinating Center for Telecommunications to coordinate the protection, response, and
recovery of national security emergency communications.
(6) Such other Federal, State, and local government entities, private entities, organizations, or
individuals as the Secretary may consider appropriate that agree to be
included.
(c)
Cyber incident
In the event of a cyber incident, the Secretary may grant the entities referred to in subsection
(a) immediate temporary access to the Center as a situation may warrant.
(d)
Roles and responsibilities
The Center shall—
(1) promote ongoing multi-directional sharing by and among the entities referred to in subsection (a)
of timely and actionable cyber threat information and analysis on a
real-time basis that includes emerging trends, evolving threats, incident
reports, intelligence information, risk assessments, and best practices;
(2) coordinate with other Federal agencies to streamline and reduce redundant reporting of cyber threat
information;
(3) provide, upon request, timely technical assistance and crisis management support to Federal, State,
and local government entities and private entities that own or operate
information systems or networks of information systems to protect from,
prevent, mitigate, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents;
(4) facilitate cross-sector coordination and sharing of cyber threat information to prevent related or
consequential impacts to other critical infrastructure sectors;
(5) collaborate and facilitate discussions with Sector Coordinating Councils, Information Sharing and
Analysis Centers, Sector Specific Agencies, and relevant critical
infrastructure sectors on the development of prioritized Federal response
efforts, if necessary, to support the defense and recovery of critical
infrastructure from cyber incidents;
(6) collaborate with the Sector Coordinating Councils, Information Sharing and Analysis Centers, Sector
Specific Agencies, and the relevant critical infrastructure sectors on the
development and implementation of procedures to support technology neutral
real-time information sharing capabilities and mechanisms;
(7) collaborate with the Sector Coordinating Councils, Information Sharing and Analysis Centers, Sector
Specific Agencies, and the relevant critical infrastructure sectors to
identify requirements for data and information formats and accessibility,
system interoperability, and redundant systems and alternative
capabilities in the event of a disruption in the primary information
sharing capabilities and mechanisms at the Center;
(8) within the scope of relevant treaties, cooperate with international partners to share information
and respond to cyber incidents;
(9) safeguard sensitive cyber threat information from unauthorized disclosure;
(10) require other Federal civilian agencies to—
(A) send reports and information to the Center about cyber incidents, threats, and vulnerabilities
affecting Federal civilian information systems and critical infrastructure
systems and, in the event a private vendor product or service of such an
agency is so implicated, the Center shall first notify such private vendor
of the vulnerability before further disclosing such information;
(B) provide to the Center cyber incident detection, analysis, mitigation, and response information; and
(C) immediately send and disclose to the Center cyber threat information received by such agencies;
(11) perform such other duties as the Secretary may require to facilitate a national effort to
strengthen and maintain secure, functioning, and resilient critical
infrastructure from cyber threats;
(12) implement policies and procedures to—
(A) provide technical assistance to Federal civilian agencies to prevent and respond to data breaches
involving unauthorized acquisition or access of personally identifiable
information that occur on Federal civilian information systems;
(B) require Federal civilian agencies to notify the Center about data breaches involving unauthorized
acquisition or access of personally identifiable information that occur on
Federal civilian information systems without unreasonable delay after the
discovery of such a breach; and
(C) require Federal civilian agencies to notify all potential victims of a data breach involving
unauthorized acquisition or access of personally identifiable information
that occur on Federal civilian information systems without unreasonable
delay, based on a reasonable determination of the level of risk of harm
and consistent with the needs of law enforcement; and
(13) participate in exercises run by the Department’s National Exercise Program, where appropriate.
(e)
Integration and analysis
The Center, in coordination with the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department, shall
maintain an integration and analysis function, which shall —
(1) integrate and analyze all cyber threat information received from other Federal agencies, State and
local governments, Information Sharing and Analysis Centers, private
entities, critical infrastructure owners, and critical infrastructure
operators, and share relevant information in near real-time;
(2) on an ongoing basis, assess and evaluate consequence, vulnerability, and threat information to
share with the entities referred to in subsection (a) actionable
assessments of critical infrastructure sector risks from cyber incidents
and to assist critical infrastructure owners and critical infrastructure
operators by making recommendations to facilitate continuous improvements
to the security and resiliency of the critical infrastructure of the
United States;
(3) facilitate cross-sector integration, identification, and analysis of key interdependencies to
prevent related or consequential impacts to other critical infrastructure
sectors;
(4) collaborate with the Information Sharing and Analysis Centers to tailor the analysis of information
to the specific characteristics and risk to a relevant critical
infrastructure sector; and
(5) assess and evaluate consequence, vulnerability, and threat information regarding cyber incidents in
coordination with the Office of Emergency Communications of the Department
to help facilitate continuous improvements to the security and resiliency
of public safety communications networks.
(f)
Report of cyber attacks against Federal Government networks
The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives,
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate,
and the Comptroller General of the United States an annual report that
summarizes major cyber incidents involving Federal civilian agency
information systems and provides aggregate statistics on the number of
breaches, the extent of any personally identifiable information that was
involved, the volume of data exfiltrated, the consequential impact, and
the estimated cost of remedying such breaches.
(g)
Report on the operations of the Center
The Secretary, in consultation with the Sector Coordinating Councils and appropriate Federal
Government entities, shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of
the House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and the Comptroller General of the
United States an annual report on—
(1) the capability and capacity of the Center to carry out its cybersecurity mission in accordance with
this section, and sections 226, 227, 229, 230, 230A, and 230B;
(2) the extent to which the Department is engaged in information sharing with each critical
infrastructure sector designated under section 227(b), including—
(A) the extent to which each such sector has representatives at the Center; and
(B) the extent to which critical infrastructure owners and critical infrastructure operators of each
critical infrastructure sector participate in information sharing at the
Center;
(3) the volume and range of activities with respect to which the Secretary collaborated with the Sector
Coordinating Councils and the Sector-Specific Agencies to promote greater
engagement with the Center; and
(4) the volume and range of voluntary technical assistance sought and provided by the Department to
each critical infrastructure owner and critical infrastructure operator.
.
(b)
Clerical amendment
The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by adding after the item relating to
section 227 (as added by section 103) the following new item:
Sec. 228. National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center.
.
(c)
GAO report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the effectiveness of the
National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center established
under section 228 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by
subsection (a) of this section, in carrying out its cybersecurity mission
(as such term is defined in section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of
2002, as amended by section 101) in accordance with this Act and such
section 228 and sections 226, 227, 229, 230, 230A, and 230B of the
Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by this Act.
105.
Cyber incident response and technical assistance
(a)
In general
Subtitle C of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by sections 102, 103, and
104, is further amended by adding at the end the following new section:
229.
Cyber incident response and technical assistance
(a)
In general
The Secretary shall establish Cyber Incident Response Teams to—
(1) upon request, provide timely technical assistance and crisis management support to Federal, State,
and local government entities, private entities, and critical
infrastructure owners and critical infrastructure operators involving
cyber incidents affecting critical infrastructure; and
(2) upon request, provide actionable recommendations on security and resilience measures and
countermeasures to Federal, State, and local government entities, private
entities, and critical infrastructure owners and critical infrastructure
operators prior to, during, and after cyber incidents.
(b)
Coordination
In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall coordinate with the relevant Sector Specific
Agencies, if applicable.
(c)
Cyber incident response plan
The Secretary, in coordination with the Sector Coordinating Councils, Information Sharing and
Analysis Centers, and Federal, State, and local governments, shall
develop, regularly update, maintain, and exercise a National Cybersecurity
Incident Response Plan which shall—
(1) include effective emergency response plans associated with cyber threats to critical
infrastructure, information systems, or networks of information systems;
(2) ensure that such National Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan can adapt to and reflect a changing
cyber threat environment, and incorporate best practices and lessons
learned from regular exercises, training, and after-action reports; and
(3) facilitate discussions on the best methods for developing innovative and useful cybersecurity
exercises for coordinating between the Department and each of the critical
infrastructure sectors designated under section 227(b).
(d)
Update to Cyber Incident Annex to the National Response Framework
The Secretary, in coordination with the heads of other Federal agencies and in accordance with the
National Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan under subsection (c), shall
regularly update, maintain, and exercise the Cyber Incident Annex to the
National Response Framework of the Department.
.
(b)
Clerical amendment
The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by adding after the item relating to
section 228 (as added by section 104) the following new item:
Sec. 229. Cyber incident response and technical assistance.
.
106.
Streamlining of Department cybersecurity organization
(a)
Cybersecurity and infrastructure protection directorate
The National Protection and Programs Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security shall,
after the date of the enactment of this Act, be known and designated as
the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Directorate. Any reference to the National Protection and Programs Directorate of the Department in any law,
regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the United States
shall be deemed to be a reference to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure
Protection Directorate of the Department.
(b)
Senior leadership of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Directorate
(1)
In general
Paragraph (1) of section 103(a) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 113(a)) is amended
by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
(K) Under Secretary for Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection.
(L) Deputy Under Secretary for Cybersecurity.
(M) Deputy Under Secretary for Infrastructure Protection.
.
(2)
Continuation in office
The individuals who hold the positions referred to in subparagraphs (K), (L), and (M) of subsection
(a) of section 103 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (as added by
paragraph (1) of this subsection) as of the date of the enactment of this
Act may continue to hold such positions.
(c)
Report on improving the capability and effectiveness of the Cybersecurity and Communications Office
To improve the operational capability and effectiveness in carrying out the cybersecurity mission
(as such term is defined in section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of
2002, as amended by section 101) of the Department of Homeland Security,
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on—
(1) the feasibility of making the Cybersecurity and Communications Office of the Department an
operational component of the Department;
(2) recommendations for restructuring the SAFETY Act Office within the Department to protect and
maintain operations in accordance with the Office’s mission to provide
incentives for the development and deployment of anti-terrorism
technologies while elevating the profile and mission of the Office,
including the feasibility of utilizing third-party registrars for
improving the throughput and effectiveness of the certification process.
(d)
Report on cybersecurity acquisition capabilities
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall assess the effectiveness of the Department of Homeland
Security’s acquisition processes and the use of existing authorities for
acquiring cybersecurity technologies to ensure that such processes and
authorities are capable of meeting the needs and demands of the
Department’s cybersecurity mission (as such term is defined in section 2
of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by section 101). Not
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate a report on the effectiveness of the Department’s
acquisition processes for cybersecurity technologies.
(e)
Resource information
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall make available Department of Homeland Security contact
information to serve as a resource for Sector Coordinating Councils and
critical infrastructure owners and critical infrastructure operators to
better coordinate cybersecurity efforts with the Department relating to
emergency response and recovery efforts for cyber incidents.
II
Public-Private Collaboration on Cybersecurity
201.
Public-private collaboration on cybersecurity
(a)
National Institute of Standards and Technology
(1)
In general
The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in coordination with the
Secretary of Homeland Security, shall, on an ongoing basis, facilitate and
support the development of a voluntary, industry-led set of standards,
guidelines, best practices, methodologies, procedures, and processes to
reduce cyber risks to critical infrastructure. The Director, in
coordination with the Secretary—
(A) shall—
(i) coordinate closely and continuously with relevant private entities, critical infrastructure owners
and critical infrastructure operators, Sector Coordinating Councils,
Information Sharing and Analysis Centers, and other relevant industry
organizations, and incorporate industry expertise to the fullest extent
possible;
(ii) consult with the Sector Specific Agencies, Federal, State and local governments, the governments of
other countries, and international organizations;
(iii) utilize a prioritized, flexible, repeatable, performance-based, and cost-effective approach,
including information security measures and controls, that may be
voluntarily adopted by critical infrastructure owners and critical
infrastructure operators to help them identify, assess, and manage cyber
risks;
(iv) include methodologies to—
(I) identify and mitigate impacts of the cybersecurity measures or controls on business
confidentiality; and
(II) protect individual privacy and civil liberties;
(v) incorporate voluntary consensus standards and industry best practices, and align with voluntary
international standards to the fullest extent possible;
(vi) prevent duplication of regulatory processes and prevent conflict with or superseding of regulatory
requirements, mandatory standards, and processes; and
(vii) include such other similar and consistent elements as determined necessary; and
(B) shall not prescribe or otherwise require—
(i) the use of specific solutions;
(ii) the use of specific information technology products or services; or
(iii) that information technology products or services be designed, developed, or manufactured in a
particular manner.
(2)
Limitation
Information shared with or provided to the Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology or the Secretary of Homeland Security for the purpose of the
activities under paragraph (1) may not be used by any Federal, State, or
local government department or agency to regulate the activity of any
private entity.
(b)
Amendment
(1)
In general
Subtitle C of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by sections 102, 103, 104,
and 105, is further amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
230.
Public-private collaboration on cybersecurity
(a)
Meetings
The Secretary shall meet with the Sector Coordinating Council for each critical infrastructure
sector designated under section 227(b) on a biannual basis to discuss the
cybersecurity threat to critical infrastructure, voluntary activities to
address cybersecurity, and ideas to improve the public-private partnership
to enhance cybersecurity, in which the Secretary shall—
(1) provide each Sector Coordinating Council an assessment of the cybersecurity threat to each critical
infrastructure sector designated under section 227(b), including
information relating to—
(A) any actual or assessed cyber threat, including a consideration of adversary capability and intent,
preparedness, target attractiveness, and deterrence capabilities;
(B) the extent and likelihood of death, injury, or serious adverse effects to human health and safety
caused by an act of terrorism or other disruption, destruction, or
unauthorized use of critical infrastructure;
(C) the threat to national security caused by an act of terrorism or other disruption, destruction, or
unauthorized use of critical infrastructure; and
(D) the harm to the economy that would result from an act of terrorism or other disruption,
destruction, or unauthorized use of critical infrastructure; and
(2) provide recommendations, which may be voluntarily adopted, on ways to improve cybersecurity of
critical infrastructure.
(b)
Report
(1)
In general
Starting 30 days after the end of the fiscal year in which the National Cybersecurity and Critical
Infrastructure Protection Act of 2013 is enacted and annually thereafter,
the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
report on the state of cybersecurity for each critical infrastructure
sector designated under section 227(b) based on discussions between the
Department and the Sector Coordinating Council in accordance with
subsection (a) of this section. The Secretary shall maintain a public copy
of each report, and each report may include a non-public annex for
proprietary, business-sensitive information, or other sensitive
information. Each report shall include, at a minimum information relating
to—
(A) the risk to each critical infrastructure sector, including known cyber threats, vulnerabilities,
and potential consequences;
(B) the extent and nature of any cybersecurity incidents during the previous year, including the extent
to which cyber incidents jeopardized or imminently jeopardized information
systems;
(C) the current status of the voluntary, industry-led set of standards, guidelines, best practices,
methodologies, procedures, and processes to reduce cyber risks within each
critical infrastructure sector; and
(D) the volume and range of voluntary technical assistance sought and provided by the Department to
each critical infrastructure sector.
(2)
Sector Coordinating Council response
Before making public and submitting each report required under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
provide a draft of each report to the Sector Coordinating Council for the
critical infrastructure sector covered by each such report. The Sector
Coordinating Council at issue may provide to the Secretary a written
response to such report within 45 days of receiving the draft. If such
Sector Coordinating Council provides a written response, the Secretary
shall include such written response in the final version of each report
required under paragraph (1).
(c)
Limitation
Information shared with or provided to a Sector Coordinating Council, a critical infrastructure
sector, or the Secretary for the purpose of the activities under
subsections (a) and (b) may not be used by any Federal, State, or local
government department or agency to regulate the activity of any private
entity.
.
(2)
Clerical amendment
The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by adding after the item relating to
section 229 (as added by section 105) the following new item:
Sec. 230. Public-private collaboration on cybersecurity.
.
202.
SAFETY Act and qualifying cyber incidents
(a)
In general
The Support Anti-Terrorism By Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 441 et seq.)
is amended—
(1) in section 862(b) (6 U.S.C. 441(b))—
(A) in the heading, by striking Designation of Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technologies and inserting Designation of Anti-Terrorism and Cybersecurity Technologies;
(B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting and cybersecurity after anti-terrorism;
(C) in paragraphs (3), (4), and (5), by inserting or cybersecurity after anti-terrorism each place it appears; and
(D) in paragraph (7)—
(i) by inserting or cybersecurity technology after Anti-terrorism technology; and
(ii) by inserting or qualifying cyber incidents after acts of terrorism;
(2) in section 863 (6 U.S.C. 442)—
(A) by inserting or cybersecurity after anti-terrorism each place it appears;
(B) by inserting or qualifying cyber incident after act of terrorism each place it appears; and
(C) by inserting or qualifying cyber incidents after acts of terrorism each place it appears;
(3) in section 864 (6 U.S.C. 443)—
(A) by inserting or cybersecurity after anti-terrorism each place it appears; and
(B) by inserting or qualifying cyber incident after act of terrorism each place it appears; and
(4) in section 865 (6 U.S.C. 444)—
(A) in paragraph (1)—
(i) in the heading, by inserting or cybersecurity after anti-terrorism;
(ii) by inserting or cybersecurity after anti-terrorism;
(iii) by inserting or qualifying cyber incidents after acts of terrorism; and
(iv) by inserting or incidents after such acts; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(7)
Qualifying cyber incident
(A)
In general
The term qualifying cyber incident means any act that the Secretary determines meets the requirements under subparagraph (B), as such
requirements are further defined and specified by the Secretary.
(B)
Requirements
A qualifying cyber incident meets the requirements of this subparagraph if—
(i) the incident is unlawful or otherwise exceeds authorized access authority;
(ii) the incident disrupts or imminently jeopardizes the integrity, operation, confidentiality, or
availability of programmable electronic devices, communication networks,
including hardware, software and data that are essential to their reliable
operation, electronic storage devices, or any other information system, or
the information that system controls, processes, stores, or transmits;
(iii) the perpetrator of the incident gains access to an information system or a network of information
systems resulting in—
(I) misappropriation or theft of data, assets, information, or intellectual property;
(II) corruption of data, assets, information, or intellectual property;
(III) operational disruption; or
(IV) an adverse effect on such system or network, or the data, assets, information, or intellectual
property contained therein; and
(iv) the incident causes harm inside or outside the United States that results in material levels of
damage, disruption, or casualties severely affecting the United States
population, infrastructure, economy, or national morale, or Federal,
State, local, or tribal government functions.
(C)
Rule of construction
For purposes of clause (iv) of subparagraph (B), the term severely includes any qualifying cyber incident, whether at a local, regional, state, national,
international, or tribal level, that affects—
(i) the United States population, infrastructure, economy, or national morale, or
(ii) Federal, State, local, or tribal government functions.
.
(b)
Funding
Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2014, 2015, and 2016 for the
Department of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Homeland Security is
authorized to use not less than $20,000,000 for any such year for the
Department’s SAFETY Act Office.
203.
Prohibition on new regulatory authority
This Act and the amendments made by this Act (except that this section shall not apply in the case
of section 202 of this Act and the amendments made by such section 202) do
not—
(1) create or authorize the issuance of any new regulations or additional Federal Government regulatory
authority; or
(2) permit regulatory actions that would duplicate, conflict with, or supercede regulatory
requirements, mandatory standards, or related processes.
204.
Prohibition on additional authorization of appropriations
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act and the amendments made
by this Act. This Act and such amendments shall be carried out using
amounts otherwise available for such purposes.
205.
Prohibition on collection activities to track individuals’ personally identifiable information
Nothing in this Act shall permit the Department of Homeland Security to engage in the monitoring,
surveillance, exfiltration, or other collection activities for the purpose
of tracking an individual’s personally identifiable information.
206.
Cybersecurity scholars
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall determine the feasibility and potential benefit of
developing a visiting security researchers program from academia,
including cybersecurity scholars at the Department of Homeland Security’s
Centers of Excellence, as designated by the Secretary, to enhance
knowledge with respect to the unique challenges of addressing cyber
threats to critical infrastructure. Eligible candidates shall possess
necessary security clearances and have a history of working with Federal
agencies in matters of national or domestic security.
207.
National Research Council study on the resilience and reliability of the Nation’s power grid
(a)
Independent study
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland
Security, in coordination with the heads of other departments and
agencies, as necessary, shall enter into an agreement with the National
Research Council to conduct research of the future resilience and
reliability of the Nation’s electric power transmission and distribution
system. The research under this subsection shall be known as the Saving More American Resources Today Study or the SMART Study. In conducting such research, the National Research Council shall—
(1) research the options for improving the Nation’s ability to expand and strengthen the capabilities
of the Nation’s power grid, including estimation of the cost, time scale
for implementation, and identification of the scale and scope of any
potential significant health and environmental impacts;
(2) consider the forces affecting the grid, including technical, economic, regulatory, environmental,
and geopolitical factors, and how such forces are likely to affect—
(A) the efficiency, control, reliability and robustness of operation;
(B) the ability of the grid to recover from disruptions, including natural disasters and terrorist
attacks;
(C) the ability of the grid to incorporate greater reliance on distributed and intermittent power
generation and electricity storage;
(D) the ability of the grid to adapt to changing patterns of demand for electricity; and
(E) the economic and regulatory factors affecting the evolution of the grid;
(3) review Federal, State, industry, and academic research and development programs and identify
technological options that could improve the future grid;
(4) review studies and analyses prepared by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)
regarding the future resilience and reliability of the grid;
(5) review the implications of increased reliance on digital information and control of the power grid
for improving reliability, resilience, and congestion and for potentially
increasing vulnerability to cyber attack;
(6) review regulatory, industry, and institutional factors and programs affecting the future of the
grid;
(7) research the costs and benefits, as well as the strengths and weaknesses, of the options identified
under paragraph (1) to address the emerging forces described in paragraph
(2) that are shaping the grid;
(8) identify the barriers to realizing the options identified and suggest strategies for overcoming
those barriers including suggested actions, priorities, incentives, and
possible legislative and executive actions; and
(9) research the ability of the grid to integrate existing and future infrastructure, including
utilities, telecommunications lines, highways, and other critical
infrastructure.
(b)
Cooperation and access to information and personnel
The Secretary shall ensure that the National Research Council receives full and timely cooperation,
including full access to information and personnel, from the Department of
Homeland Security, the Department of Energy, including the management and
operating components of the Departments, and other Federal departments and
agencies, as necessary, for the purposes of conducting the study described
in subsection (a).
(c)
Report
(1)
In general
Not later than 18 months from the date on which the Secretary enters into the agreement with the
National Research Council described in subsection (a), the National
Research Council shall submit to the Secretary and the Committee on
Homeland Security and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a
report containing the findings of the research required by that
subsection.
(2)
Form of report
The report under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a
classified annex.
(d)
Funding
Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated for 2014 for the Department of Homeland Security, the
Secretary of Homeland Security is authorized to obligate and expend not
more than $2,000,000 for the National Research Council report.
III
Homeland Security Cybersecurity Workforce
301.
Homeland security cybersecurity workforce
(a)
In general
Subtitle C of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by sections 101, 102, 103,
104, 105, and 201, is further amended by adding at the end the following
new section:
230A.
Cybersecurity occupation categories, workforce assessment, and strategy
(a)
Short title
This section may be cited as the Homeland Security Cybersecurity Boots-on-the-Ground Act.
(b)
Cybersecurity occupation categories
(1)
In general
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall develop
and issue comprehensive occupation categories for individuals performing
activities in furtherance of the cybersecurity mission of the Department.
(2)
Applicability
The Secretary shall ensure that the comprehensive occupation categories issued under paragraph (1)
are used throughout the Department and are made available to other Federal
agencies.
(c)
Cybersecurity workforce assessment
(1)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter,
the Secretary shall assess the readiness and capacity of the workforce of
the Department to meet its cybersecurity mission.
(2)
Contents
The assessment required under paragraph (1) shall, at a minimum, include the following:
(A) Information where cybersecurity positions are located within the Department, specified in
accordance with the cybersecurity occupation categories issued under
subsection (b).
(B) Information on which cybersecurity positions are—
(i) performed by—
(I) permanent full time departmental employees, together with demographic information about such
employees’ race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, and veterans
status;
(II) individuals employed by independent contractors; and
(III) individuals employed by other Federal agencies, including the National Security Agency; and
(ii) vacant.
(C) The number of individuals hired by the Department pursuant to the authority granted to the
Secretary in 2009 to permit the Secretary to fill 1,000 cybersecurity
positions across the Department over a three year period, and information
on what challenges, if any, were encountered with respect to the
implementation of such authority.
(D) Information on vacancies within the Department’s cybersecurity supervisory workforce, from first
line supervisory positions through senior departmental cybersecurity
positions.
(E) Information on the percentage of individuals within each cybersecurity occupation category who
received essential training to perform their jobs, and in cases in which
such training is not received, information on what challenges, if any,
were encountered with respect to the provision of such training.
(F) Information on recruiting costs incurred with respect to efforts to fill cybersecurity positions
across the Department in a manner that allows for tracking of overall
recruiting and identifying areas for better coordination and leveraging of
resources within the Department.
(d)
Workforce strategy
(1)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall
develop, maintain, and, as necessary, update, a comprehensive workforce
strategy that enhances the readiness, capacity, training, recruitment, and
retention of the cybersecurity workforce of the Department.
(2)
Contents
The comprehensive workforce strategy developed under paragraph (1) shall include—
(A) a multiphased recruitment plan, including relating to experienced professionals, members of
disadvantaged or underserved communities, the unemployed, and veterans;
(B) a 5-year implementation plan;
(C) a 10-year projection of the Department’s cybersecurity workforce needs; and
(D) obstacles impeding the hiring and development of a cybersecurity workforce at the Department.
(e)
Information security training
Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall
establish and maintain a process to verify on an ongoing basis that
individuals employed by independent contractors who serve in cybersecurity
positions at the Department receive initial and recurrent information
security training comprised of general security awareness training
necessary to perform their job functions, and role-based security training
that is commensurate with assigned responsibilities. The Secretary shall
maintain documentation to ensure that training provided to an individual
under this subsection meets or exceeds requirements for such individual’s
job function.
(f)
Updates
The Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees annual updates regarding the
cybersecurity workforce assessment required under subsection (c),
information on the progress of carrying out the comprehensive workforce
strategy developed under subsection (d), and information on the status of
the implementation of the information security training required under
subsection (e).
(g)
GAO study
The Secretary shall provide the Comptroller General of the United States with information on the
cybersecurity workforce assessment required under subsection (c) and
progress on carrying out the comprehensive workforce strategy developed
under subsection (d). The Comptroller General shall submit to the
Secretary and the appropriate congressional committees a study on such
assessment and strategy.
(h)
Cybersecurity Fellowship Program
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit
to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the feasibility of
establishing a Cybersecurity Fellowship Program to offer a tuition payment
plan for undergraduate and doctoral candidates who agree to work for the
Department for an agreed-upon period of time.
.
(b)
Clerical amendment
The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by adding after the item relating to
section 230 (as added by section 201) the following new item:
Sec. 230A. Cybersecurity occupation categories, workforce assessment, and strategy.
.
302.
Personnel authorities
(a)
In general
Subtitle C of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by sections 101, 102, 103,
104, 105, 106, 201, and 301 is further amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
230B.
Personnel authorities
(a)
In general
(1)
Personnel authorities
The Secretary may exercise with respect to qualified employees of the Department the same authority
that the Secretary of Defense has with respect to civilian intelligence
personnel and the scholarship program under sections 1601, 1602, 1603, and
2200a of title 10, United States Code, to establish as positions in the
excepted service, appoint individuals to such positions, fix pay, and pay
a retention bonus to any employee appointed under this section if the
Secretary determines that such is needed to retain essential personnel.
Before announcing the payment of a bonus under this paragraph, the
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate a written explanation of such determination. Such
authority shall be exercised—
(A) to the same extent and subject to the same conditions and limitations that the Secretary of Defense
may exercise such authority with respect to civilian intelligence
personnel of the Department of Defense; and
(B) in a manner consistent with the merit system principles set forth in section 2301 of title 5,
United States Code.
(2)
Civil service protections
Sections 1221 and 2302, and chapter 75 of title 5, United States Code, shall apply to the positions
established pursuant to the authorities provided under paragraph (1).
(3)
Plan for execution of authorities
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit
to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate
a report that contains a plan for the use of the authorities provided
under this subsection.
(b)
Annual report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter for
four years, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Homeland
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a detailed report
(including appropriate metrics on actions occurring during the reporting
period) that discusses the processes used by the Secretary in implementing
this section and accepting applications, assessing candidates, ensuring
adherence to veterans’ preference, and selecting applicants for vacancies
to be filled by a qualified employee.
(c)
Definition of qualified employee
In this section, the term qualified employee means an employee who performs functions relating to the security of Federal civilian information
systems, critical infrastructure information systems, or networks of
either of such systems.
.
(b)
Clerical amendment
The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by adding after the item relating to
section 230A (as added by section 301) the following new item:
Sec. 230B. Personnel authorities.
.
Passed the House of Representatives July 28, 2014.Karen L. Haas,Clerk