,,ii #aag? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ddic ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,june #bc1 #bjbb,ms4 ,klobu*> 7= h]self & ,mr4 ,b5net7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to improve cyb]security practices & improve digital lit]acy among vet]ans1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,onl9e ,in=mation & ,cyb]security ,emp[]m5t ,act ( #bjbb or ! ,,voice ,act ( #bjbb4 #b4 ,f9d+s 7a7 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,rese>*]s h docum5t$ p]si/5t1 p]vasive1 & coord9at$ onl9e t>get+ ( memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces1 vet]ans1 & _! families by =eign adv]s>ies seek+ to und]m9e ,unit$ ,/ates democracy 9 "p because ( public tru/ plac$ 9 ^! communities4 ,gov]nm5t ag5cies & rese>*]s h also docum5t$ ! t>get+ ( vet]ans by fraud/]s1 especially onl9e scamm]s1 seek+ to /eal _! gov]nm5t b5efits4 7#b7 ,accord+ to ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission1 fraud co/s vet]ans1 memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces1 & _! families #bfg1jjj1jjj 9 #bjba4 ,?is 0 a #afb-p]c5t increase f #bjbj & ! m$ian loss = ^! scam victims 0 #fjj1 #bj p]c5t high] ?an = ! m$ian loss = ! g5]al public4 ,accord+ to a #bjag survey conduct$ by ! ,am]ican ,association ( ,retir$ ,p]sons 7,,a>p7 vet]ans are twice z likely to unkn[+ly p>ticipate 9 a scam comp>$ to ! g5]al population & an e/imat$ #af p]c5t ( vet]ans report hav+ los+ "s money to fraud1 :ile #gh p]c5t report enc\nt]+ scams t h explicitly design$ to exploit _! milit>y s]vice4 7#c7 ,at ! same "t1 adv]s>ies f ,russia1 ,*9a1 & ,iran are us+ in=mation w>f>e to influ5ce democracies across ! _w1 & extremi/ organizations (t5 use digital communications to recruit memb]s4 ,influ5ce campaigns f =eign adv]s>ies rea*$ t5s ( millions ( vot]s dur+ ! #bjaf & #bjah elections ) racially & divisively t>get$ messages4 ,! ,unit$ ,/ates c fight ^! influ5ces by ensur+ t citiz5s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates possess ! necess>y skills to disc]n dis9=mation & mis9=mation & protect !mselves f =eign influ5ce campaigns4 7#d7 ,! ,select ,committee on ,intellig5ce ( ! ,s5ate f\nd 9 its inve/igation ( ! int]f]5ce 9 ! #bjaf election t social m$ia po/s by ! ,int]net ,rese>* ,ag5cy 7,,ira7 ( ,russia rea*$ t5s ( millions ( vot]s 9 #bjaf & 7 meant to pit ! p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates aga9/ "o ano!r & s[ discord4 ,volume ,,ii ( ! ,committee's inve/igation f\nd t ! ,int]net ,rese>* ,ag5cy's ,in/agram acc\nt ) ! second l>ge/ rea* us$ ! h&le am]ican4vet]ans & 0 aim$ at patriotic1 cons]vative audi5ces1 collect$ #bae1fhj foll[]s1 & g5]at$ ne>ly #ah4e million engagem5ts44 7#e7 ,a #bjai inve/igative report by ! ,vietnam ,vet]ans ( ,am]ica 7,,vva7 titl$ ,an ,inve/igation into ,=eign ,entities :o are ,t>get+ ,troops & ,vet]ans ,onl9e1 f\nd t ! ,int]net ,rese>* ,ag5cy t>get$ vet]ans & ! foll[]s ( sev]al congressionally *>t]$ vet]ans s]vice organizations ) at lea/ #aac adv]tisem5ts dur+ & foll[+ ! #bjaf election & t ?is repres5ts a fraction ( ! ,russian activity t t>get$ ?is community ) divisive propag&a44 ,! report also f\nd t =eign actors h be5 imp]sonat+ vet]ans ?r\gh social-m$ia acc\nts & int]act+ ) vet]ans & vet]ans gr\ps on social m$ia to spread propag&a & dis9=mation4 ,to c\nt] ^! acts1 ,vietnam ,vet]ans ( ,am]ica recomm5d$ t ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs imm$iately develop plans to make ! cyb]-hygi5e ( vet]ans an urg5t priority )9 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4 ,! ,,va mu/ educate & tra9 vet]ans on p]sonal cyb]security3 h[ to mitigate vuln]abilities1 vigilantly ma9ta9 safe practices1 & recognize ?reats1 includ+ h[ to id5tify in/ances ( onl9e manipulation44 7#f7 ,! ,cyb]space ,sol>ium ,commission1 a bicam]al & bip>tisan commission1 e/abli%$ by section #afeb ( ! ,john ,s4 ,mc,cain ,national ,def5se ,au?orization ,act = ,fiscal ,ye> #bjai 7,public ,law #aae-bcb71 conclud$ 9 its f9i%$ report t ! ,u4,s4 gov]nm5t %\ld promote digital lit]acy1 civics education1 & public aw>5ess to build societal resili5ce to =eign1 malign cyb]-enabl$ in=mation op]ations & t ! ,u4,s4 gov]nm5t mu/ ensure t individual ,am]icans h bo? ! digital lit]acy tools & ! civics education !y ne$ to secure _! networks & _! democracy f cyb]-enabl$ in=mation op]ations44 ,! report recomm5d$ t ,congress au?orize grant programs to d ?is4 #c4 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t1 giv5 ! ?reat =eign influ5ce campaigns pose = ,unit$ ,/ates democracy1 ! effect ( onl9e scams on vet]ans & _! families1 & ! f9d+s & recomm5dations ( ,congress1 ,f$]al ag5cies1 & exp]ts1 ,congress %\ld imm$iately act to pass legislative measures to increase digital & m$ia lit]acy1 z well z cyb]security be/ practices among vet]ans ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 #d4 ,vet]ans ,cyb]security & ,digital ,lit]acy ,grant ,program 7a7 ,program requir$ ,! ,secret>y %all e/abli% a program to promote digital citiz5%ip & m$ia lit]acy1 ?r\gh :i* ! ,secret>y %all aw>d grants to eligible entities to enable ^? eligible entities to c>ry out ! activities describ$ 9 subsection 7c74 7b7 ,application ,an eligible entity seek+ a grant "u ! program requir$ by subsection 7a7 %all submit to ! ,secret>y an application !re= at su* "t1 9 su* mann]1 & conta9+ su* in=mation z ! ,secret>y may require1 includ+1 at a m9imum ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,a description ( ! activities ! eligible entity int5ds to c>ry out ) ! grant funds4 7#b7 ,an e/imate ( ! co/s associat$ ) su* activities4 7#c7 ,su* o!r in=mation & assurances z ! ,secret>y may require4 7c7 ,activities ,an eligible entity %all use ! am\nt ( a grant aw>d$ "u ! program requir$ by subsection 7a7 to c>ry out "o or m ( ! foll[+ activities to promote cyb]security be/ practices & increase digital & m$ia lit]acy among vet]ans3 7#a7 ,develop compet5cies 9 cyb]security be/ practices4 7#b7 ,develop m$ia lit]acy & digital citiz5%ip compet5cies by promot+ vet]ans'-- 7,a7 rese>* & in=mation flu5cy2 7,b7 critical ?9k+ & problem solv+ skills2 7,c7 te*nology op]ations & concepts2 7,d7 in=mation & te*nological lit]acy2 7,e7 concepts ( m$ia & digital repres5tation & /]eotyp+2 7,f7 und]/&+ ( explicit & implicit m$ia & digital messages2 7,g7 und]/&+ ( values & po9ts ( view t are includ$ & exclud$ 9 m$ia & digital cont5t2 7,h7 und]/&+ ( h[ m$ia & digital cont5t may influ5ce ideas & behaviors2 7,i7 und]/&+ ( ! importance ( obta9+ in=mation f multiple m$ia s\rces & evaluat+ s\rces = quality2 7,j7 und]/&+ h[ in=mation on digital plat=ms c be alt]$ ?r\gh algori?ms1 edit+1 & augm5t$ reality2 7,k7 ability to create m$ia & digital cont5t 9 civically & socially responsible ways2 & 7,l7 und]/&+ ( influ5ce campaigns conduct$ by =eign adv]s>ies & ! tactics employ$ by =eign adv]s>ies = conduct+ influ5ce campaigns4 7d7 ,report+ 7#a7 ,reports by grant recipi5ts ,ea* recipi5t ( a grant "u ! program requir$ by subsection 7a7 %all1 n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date on :i* ! recipi5t fir/ receives funds pursuant to ! grant1 submit to ! ,secret>y a report describ+ ! activities ! recipi5t c>ri$ out us+ grant funds & ! effectiv5ess ( ^? activities4 7#b7 ,report by ! ,secret>y ,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y receives ! la/ report ! ,secret>y expects to receive "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y %all submit to ,congress a report describ+ ! activities c>ri$ out "u ?is section & ! effectiv5ess ( ^? activities4 7e7 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t ! ,secret>y %\ld-- 7#a7 e/abli% & ma9ta9 a li/ ( eligible entities t receive a grant "u ! program requir$ by subsection 7a71 & individuals designat$ by ^? eligible entities z p>ticipat+ individuals2 & 7#b7 make t li/ available to ^? eligible entities & p>ticipat+ individuals 9 ord] to promote communication & fur!r ex*ange ( in=mation reg>d+ s\nd digital citiz5%ip & m$ia lit]acy practices among recipi5ts ( grants "u ! program requir$ by subsection 7a74 7f7 ,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re is au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to c>ry out ?is section #bj1jjj1jjj = ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjbc1 #bjbe1 & #bjbg4 7g7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,cyb]security be/ practices ,! t]m cyb]security be/ practices means practices & /eps t us]s ( comput]s & o!r int]net-connect$ devices take to ma9ta9 & improve onl9e security1 ma9ta9 ! prop] function+ ( comput]s devices1 & protect comput]s & devices f cyb]attacks & unau?oriz$ use4 7#b7 ,digital citiz5%ip ,! t]m digital citiz5%ip means ! ability to-- 7,a7 safely1 responsibly1 & e?ically use communication te*nologies & digital in=mation te*nology tools & plat=ms2 7,b7 create & %>e m$ia cont5t us+ pr9ciples ( social & civic responsibility & ) aw>5ess ( ! legal & e?ical issues involv$2 & 7,c7 p>ticipate 9 ! political1 economic1 social1 & cultural aspects ( life relat$ to te*nology1 communications1 & ! digital _w by consum+ & creat+ digital cont5t1 includ+ m$ia4 7#c7 ,eligible entity ,! t]m eligible entity means-- 7,a7 a civil society organization1 includ+ community gr\ps1 nongov]nm5tal organizations1 nonpr(it organization1 labor organizations1 indig5\s gr\ps1 *>itable organizations1 pr(essional associations1 & f\ndations2 & 7,b7 congressionally *>t]$ vet]ans s]vice organizations4 7#d7 ,m$ia lit]acy ,! t]m m$ia lit]acy means ! ability to-- 7,a7 access relevant & accurate in=mation ?r\gh m$ia 9 a v>iety ( =ms2 7,b7 critically analyze m$ia cont5t & ! influ5ces ( diff]5t =ms ( m$ia2 7,c7 evaluate ! compreh5siv5ess1 relevance1 cr$ibility1 au?ority1 & accuracy ( in=mation2 7,d7 make educat$ decisions bas$ on in=mation obta9$ f m$ia & digital s\rces2 7,e7 op]ate v>i\s =ms ( te*nology & digital tools2 & 7,f7 reflect on h[ ! use ( m$ia & te*nology may affect private & public life4 7#e7 ,secret>y ,! t]m ,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4