Overview
Title
An Act To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a DHS Cybersecurity Internship Program, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The bill wants to create a program where teenagers and young adults can get paid to learn about computers and keeping them safe, but it doesn't say how much money will be needed or exactly how they will pick who gets to join.
Summary AI
H.R. 9689 proposes to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to create a DHS Cybersecurity Internship Program. This program is designed to offer paid internships in cybersecurity to U.S. citizens who are at least 16 years old and currently enrolled in secondary or higher education institutions. The bill outlines eligibility criteria, ensures diverse participant composition, and requires yearly reports on outreach and participation efforts. Additionally, it defines key terms related to educational institutions to clarify eligible participants.
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AnalysisAI
Overview of the Bill
This proposed legislation, carried under H.R. 9689, seeks to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 by implementing a Cybersecurity Internship Program within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This program aims to provide cybersecurity internship opportunities for U.S. citizens who are students in various educational stages, ranging from secondary schools to postgraduate programs. The intent is to align each participant’s internship duties with their educational background, skills, and experience. Moreover, the program mandates annual reporting to ensure transparency and accountability, with a significant focus on outreach and recruitment efforts.
Summary of Significant Issues
While the bill presents an organized structure for setting up the internship program, several issues are noticeably lacking in explanation or detail. Primarily, the absence of specific budgetary provisions or cost assessments raises questions about the financial implications, potentially leading to unallocated funds or wasteful spending. Furthermore, the criteria determining how interns are selected and their duties aligned remain vague, potentially opening the door to favoritism or inconsistent application procedures.
The bill’s legislative language could be challenging for those unfamiliar with legal jargon, and its complexity might impede full comprehension. Additionally, while annual reporting is required, there are no clear-cut accountability measures to ensure effective outreach and equitable recruitment efforts. Concerns about potential biases in favor of particular educational institutions may arise due to these undefined recruiting strategies.
Potential Impact on the Public
The bill's intent to enhance cybersecurity capabilities through an internship program could provide significant opportunities for students across the education spectrum, fostering a skilled workforce in this crucial area. By targeting secondary-school students upwards, DHS could nurture long-term interest and expertise in cybersecurity, which is critical given the increasing importance of digital security.
However, the absence of concrete financial details might attract criticism from taxpayers worried about efficient spending. Clearer articulation of selection processes and program effectiveness could assuage concerns regarding fairness and program integrity, thereby attracting broader public support.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Students and Educational Institutions: For students, this program could offer invaluable real-world experience in a governmental setting, potentially opening doors to future careers in cybersecurity. Educational institutions, particularly those designated as historically Black colleges or universities and other minority-serving institutions, may benefit from increased attention, though this depends on how equitably recruiting efforts are managed.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS): For DHS, this program might serve as a pipeline for future employees and bolster its cybersecurity defenses. Nevertheless, without a dedicated budget, DHS risks implementing the program suboptimally or inefficiently.
Congressional Oversight Committees: Assigned committees would be tasked with annual program evaluations. However, the imprecision in reporting mechanisms could strain these committees' ability to exercise effective oversight, potentially reducing the program's accountability and effectiveness.
In summary, the DHS Cybersecurity Internship Program Act aims to enrich the nation’s cybersecurity talent pool. Still, clarity in funding, program structure, and transparent selection processes are essential to maximize benefits and ensure the program’s success while maintaining public trust.
Issues
The bill lacks specific budgetary details or cost estimates for the cybersecurity internship program, making it difficult to evaluate potential wasteful spending. This issue is highlighted in Sections 2 and 1334.
There is no detailed description of how interns are selected or what criteria determine the alignment of duties with participants’ education, skills, and experience, leading to concerns about potential favoritism or unclear selection processes, as mentioned in Sections 2 and 1334.
The language related to eligibility criteria and program composition is clear, yet the bill does not specify a budget or funding source for the cybersecurity internship program, leading to concerns about unallocated or wasteful spending, as noted in Section 1334.
The complexity and extensive use of legal and bureaucratic terms in the text might hinder understanding for individuals not familiar with legislative language, particularly in Sections 2 and 1334.
The requirement for annual reporting under Section 1334(d) is mentioned, but there is no specific accountability measure outlined to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the mentioned outreach and recruitment efforts.
The description of specific recruiting efforts to increase participation could favor certain schools or institutions if not conducted equitably across all eligible entities, as stated in Section 1334(d).
Potential overlap or redundancy in reports required under this section and section 1333(e), without clear guidance on consolidation, might lead to inefficiencies, as noted in Section 1334(d).
The consolidation of reports under section 1333(e) is mentioned but not clearly explained, which could lead to confusion about reporting processes, as indicated in Section 1334(d).
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of this Act states that it can be referred to as the “DHS Cybersecurity Internship Program Act.”
2. Department of homeland security cybersecurity internship program." Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section establishes a Cybersecurity Internship Program at the Department of Homeland Security, where eligible U.S. citizens who are students at various educational levels can participate in paid internships. It outlines the program's eligibility criteria, reporting requirements, and definitions for relevant terms like "minority-serving institutions" and "technical, trade, or vocational schools."
1334. Cybersecurity internship program Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines a cybersecurity internship program established by the Secretary, allowing eligible U.S. citizens aged 16 and up, who are students in various educational institutions, to engage in paid internships at the Department. It requires the Secretary to ensure diverse participants from multiple educational backgrounds are included, and mandates annual reports on the program's outreach, recruitment, and participant engagement to be submitted to relevant Congressional committees.