H.R. 3208 – DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 7:27 AM UTC

The bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to create a DHS Cybersecurity On‑the‑Job Training Program. The program provides voluntary cybersecurity training for DHS employees who are not currently in cyber roles and may also be offered to other federal workers. It is overseen by the DHS Director in consultation with the Under Secretary for Management, and includes reporting requirements for seven years.

Key Provisions

Establishes a voluntary on‑the‑job cybersecurity training program for DHS employees not in cyber positions, with possible extension to other federal employees.
Requires the DHS Director to develop a curriculum using existing programs and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education framework, set participation criteria, deliver training, and submit annual reports for seven years detailing participants, job placements, metrics, and related information.
Assigns the Under Secretary for Management duties to report annually on cybersecurity vacancy status, help recruit participants, implement policies such as service agreements to encourage participation, and conduct outreach about cyber job opportunities within DHS.
Amends the table of contents of the Homeland Security Act to add the new Section 2220F for the training program.

Legislative Activity

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17 earlier actions

SenateCalendars Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 710.

December 17, 2024

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 11, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Homeland Security Committee

May 11, 2023

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Homeland Security Committee

May 17, 2023

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Homeland Security Committee

May 17, 2023

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 118-161.

Homeland Security Committee

July 27, 2023

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 128.

July 27, 2023

HouseFloor

Mr. Green (TN) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

September 23, 2024 • 4:51 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5596-5597)

September 23, 2024 • 4:51 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3208.

September 23, 2024 • 4:51 PM

HouseFloor

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

September 23, 2024 • 4:57 PM

HouseFloor

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5671)

September 24, 2024 • 2:06 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 377 - 43 (Roll no. 445). (text: 9/23/2024 CR H5596)

View vote Passed

September 24, 2024 • 2:10 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 377 - 43 (Roll no. 445). (text: 9/23/2024 CR H5596)

View vote Passed

September 24, 2024 • 2:10 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

September 24, 2024 • 2:10 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

September 25, 2024

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

November 20, 2024

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 118-304.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

December 17, 2024

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 710.

December 17, 2024

Voting History

1 vote recorded • Roll call available

HOUSE

Roll Call Available

September 24, 2024 at 2:08 PM

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass

Majority required: 2/3 (66.7%)

Passed

377 - 43

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about H.R. 3208 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat

Rep. J. Luis CorreaD-CA-46 · Sep 23, 2024

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. During Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee's two decades in Congress serving on the Homeland Security Committee, one of her top priorities was…

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

During Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee's two decades in Congress serving on the Homeland Security Committee, one of her top priorities was strengthening our Nation's cyber defenses.

She consistently prioritized expanding our cybersecurity workforce, recognized that investing in cybersecurity education and training would make our Nation more secure.

At a time when few Members of Congress were focused on cybersecurity back in 2005, Congresswoman Jackson Lee introduced the Cybersecurity Education Enhancement Act to provide funding for expanded cybersecurity education programs across the country.

With her trademark persistence, Congresswoman Jackson Lee kept on fighting to expand the talent pool of trained cybersecurity professionals, most recently with the introduction last year of this legislation that we are considering today, the DHS Cybersecurity On- the-Job Training Program Act.

This bill will direct the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, to provide cybersecurity

training to Department of Homeland Security existing employees with the goal of training existing personnel to fill cybersecurity job vacancies at the Department.

According to testimony before the Homeland Security Committee in June, there are nearly 2,000 cybersecurity vacancies at DHS today.

With cybersecurity threats from adversaries like Russia and China only further increasing, filling these vacancies is a national security imperative.

While DHS has taken important steps to address this challenge, private-sector competition for talent and the slow Federal hiring process have continued to hamper our efforts at DHS to eliminate this shortfall.

Training existing DHS personnel who have already been vetted and onboarded by the Department is a critical part of ensuring that DHS has the cybersecurity talent on payroll today to fulfill its critical cybersecurity mission.

This legislation builds on CISA's existing Federal Cyber Defense Skilling Academy and ensures that CISA continues its efforts to leverage cybersecurity expertise to support DHS' broader workforce.

I urge my colleagues to continue Congresswoman Jackson Lee's legacy on this most important issue and support H.R. 3208.

Across DHS' many component agencies, there is a critical need for cybersecurity expertise to help defend our homeland.

So long as key cybersecurity positions sit vacant, we are at greater risk for damaging cyberattacks that expose our sensitive information or disrupt critical infrastructure.

Passing Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee's legislation will ensure DHS employees get the training necessary to fill cybersecurity job vacancies, and also, we will be honoring her legacy of fighting for a stronger cybersecurity workforce.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3208, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Mark E. GreenR-TN-7 · Sep 23, 2024

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3208) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program, and for other purposes.…

Bill Text

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Reported to SenateIssued December 17, 2024

II

Calendar No. 710

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 3208

[Report No. 118–304]

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 25, 2024

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

December 17 (legislative day, December 16), 2024

Reported by Mr. Peters, with an amendment

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic

AN ACT

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program Act.

2.

DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program

(a)

In general

Subtitle A of title XXII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 141 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

2220F.

DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program

(a)

In general

There is established within the Agency a DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program (in this section referred to as the Program) to voluntarily train Department employees who are not currently in a cybersecurity position for work in matters relating to cybersecurity at the Department. The Program shall be led by the Director, in consultation with the Under Secretary for Management.

(b)

Duties of the Director

In carrying out the Program under subsection (a), the Director—

(1)

shall develop a curriculum for the Program, incorporating any existing curricula as appropriate, and consistent with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Framework or any successor framework, which may include distance learning instruction, in-classroom instruction within a work location, on-the-job instruction under the supervision of experienced cybersecurity staff, or other means of training and education as determined appropriate by the Director;

(2)

shall develop criteria for participation in the Program;

(3)

in accordance with paragraph (1), shall provide cybersecurity training to employees of the Department and may, as appropriate, provide cybersecurity training to other Federal employees; and

(4)

shall annually for seven years 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 includes—

(A)

information relating to the number of employees who participated in the Program in the preceding year;

(B)

an identification of the positions into which employees trained through the Program were hired after such training;

(C)

a description of metrics used to measure the success of the Program;

(D)

copies of the reports submitted pursuant to (c)(1); and

(E)

any additional information relating to the duties specified in this subsection.

(c)

Duties of the Under Secretary for Management

In carrying out the Program under subsection (a), the Under Secretary for Management shall—

(1)

submit to the Secretary an annual report on the status of vacancies in cybersecurity positions throughout the Department;

(2)

support efforts by the Director to identify and recruit individuals employed by the Department to participate in the Program;

(3)

implement policies, including continuing service agreements, to encourage participation in the Program by employees throughout the Department; and

(4)

conduct outreach to employees who complete the Program regarding cybersecurity job opportunities within the Department.

.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2220E the following new item:

Sec. 2220F. DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program.

.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program Act.

2.

DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program

(a)

In general

Subtitle A of title XXII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

2220F.

DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program

(a)

In general

There is established within the Agency a DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program (in this section referred to as the Program) to voluntarily train Department employees who are not currently in a cybersecurity position for work in matters relating to cybersecurity at the Department. The Program shall be led by the Director, in consultation with the Under Secretary for Management.

(b)

Duties of the Director

In carrying out the Program under subsection (a), the Director—

(1)

shall develop a curriculum for the Program, incorporating existing curricula as appropriate and applicable, such as the Federal Cyber Defense Skilling Academy and other initiatives or successor programs, and consistent with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Framework or any successor framework, which may include distance learning instruction, in-classroom instruction within a work location, on-the-job instruction under the supervision of experienced cybersecurity staff, or other means of training and education as determined appropriate by the Director;

(2)

shall develop criteria for participation in the Program and ensure cybersecurity personnel are appropriately coded to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Framework and successor programs;

(3)

in accordance with the curriculum described in paragraph (1)—

(A)

shall make available cybersecurity training to employees of the Department; and

(B)

may, as appropriate, make available cybersecurity training to other Federal employees; and

(4)

shall, during the 7-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this section, annually 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 includes—

(A)

information relating to the number of employees who participated in the Program in the preceding year;

(B)

an identification of the positions into which employees trained through the Program were hired after such training;

(C)

a description of metrics used to measure the success of the Program, which may include a skill inventory for applicable positions;

(D)

copies of the reports submitted pursuant to subsection (c)(1); and

(E)

any additional information relating to the duties specified in this subsection.

(c)

Duties of the Under Secretary for Management

In carrying out the Program under subsection (a), the Under Secretary for Management shall—

(1)

during the 7-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this section, submit to the Secretary an annual report on the status of vacancies in cybersecurity positions throughout the Department;

(2)

support efforts by the Director to identify and recruit individuals employed by the Department to participate in the Program;

(3)

implement policies, including continuing service agreements, to encourage participation in the Program by employees throughout the Department; and

(4)

conduct outreach to employees who complete the Program regarding cybersecurity job opportunities within the Department.

.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–296; 116 Stat. 2135) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2220E the following new item:

Sec. 2220F. DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program.

.

December 17 (legislative day, December 16), 2024

Reported with an amendment