Bill aims to codify federal cyber personnel rotation program
New legislation making its way through Congress could offer some respite to U.S. agencies struggling to fill cybersecurity positions amid a global shortage of talent.
A bipartisan bill backed by Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Nancy Mace, R-S.C., would establish a rotational program for cybersecurity personnel in federal agencies allowing them to move from one department to another. The companion bill in the Senate is backed by Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and John Hoeven, R-N.D.
While fully meeting the cybersecurity needs of federal agencies by hiring enough experts to fill all the positions would require mounting an effort as vast as the Manhattan Project, the bill “takes a step in that direction,” Khanna told CQ Roll Call in an interview. (The Manhattan Project was the program that developed the first U.S. nuclear weapons during World War II.)
The legislation would ensure that cyber professionals rotate through agencies, helping departments understand practices in other agencies, Khanna said, adding that the House is likely to pass the bill early next month.
The opportunity to work in different federal agencies could also be a recruiting tool “because it would be very attractive for someone to come to the federal government, and not just in one agency, but they get to go through all of the agencies” and gain substantial experience before going to the private sector, Khanna said.
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