Legislators are examining the possibility of setting up a national program to help with the cybersecurity threats faced by the federal government, according to The Washington Post and Security Boulevard. Currently sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, the bill is intended to set up two separate programs, within the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense Department.
“The recent, unprecedented cyber-attacks targeting the United States demonstrate the risks of not addressing our severe cyber workforce shortage,” says Senator Jacky Rosen. “As cybersecurity threats continue to grow in scale, frequency, and sophistication, it’s critical that we find innovative solutions to address this deficiency.”
Bill co-sponsor Senator Marsha Blackburn says, “Creating a reserve corps similar to our National Guard or Army Reserve will allow our national security agencies to have access to the qualified, capable, and service-oriented American talent necessary to respond when an attack occurs.”
If passed, the bill should help to address the shortage of cybersecurity and IT professionals identified by the Government Accountability Office as a significant risk within the federal government.
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