H.R. 9689House118th Congress (2023-2025)Passed House

DHS Cybersecurity Internship Program Act

Introduced September 19, 2024

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 7:04 PM UTC

The DHS Cybersecurity Internship Program Act adds a new section to the Homeland Security Act to create a paid cybersecurity internship program within the Department of Homeland Security. It targets U.S. citizens who are at least 16 years old and enrolled in secondary schools, community colleges, undergraduate or graduate programs, or technical, trade, or vocational schools, giving them hands‑on experience aligned with their education. The law also requires the Secretary to ensure each intern class includes participants from all these education types and to report annually to congressional committees on outreach, recruitment, and program participation.

Key Provisions

  • Establishes a paid cybersecurity internship program at DHS for eligible students.
  • Sets eligibility criteria: U.S. citizenship, age 16+, enrollment in secondary, community college, undergraduate, graduate, or technical/vocational education.
  • Requires the Secretary to select interns from each listed education category for every intern class.
  • Mandates annual reports to the House and Senate Homeland Security committees covering outreach efforts, recruiting activities, participant numbers by school type, duties performed, and departmental components supported.

Legislative Activity

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14 earlier actions
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

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

December 11, 2024

View full timeline
HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 19, 2024

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

September 19, 2024

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection.

September 19, 2024

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Discharged

September 25, 2024

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

September 25, 2024

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

September 25, 2024

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 118-858.

December 10, 2024

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 697.

December 10, 2024

HouseFloor

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

December 10, 2024 • 3:05 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6564-6565)

December 10, 2024 • 3:05 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 9689.

December 10, 2024 • 3:05 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6564)

December 10, 2024 • 3:09 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6564)

December 10, 2024 • 3:09 PM

HouseFloor

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

December 10, 2024 • 3:09 PM

SenateIntro Referral

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

December 11, 2024

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about H.R. 9689 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat
Yvette D. Clarke
Rep. Yvette D. ClarkeD-NY-9 · Dec 10, 2024

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, according to testimony before the House Committee on Homeland Security earlier this year, there are approximately 2,000…

Mark E. Green
Rep. Mark E. GreenR-TN-7 · Dec 10, 2024

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 9689) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a DHS Cybersecurity Internship Program, and for other purposes. Mr.…

Bill Text

4 versions available

Reading Mode
Latest
Referred in SenateIssued December 11, 2024

IIB

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 9689

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

December 11, 2024

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

AN ACT

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


1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the DHS Cybersecurity Internship Program Act.

2.

Department of homeland security cybersecurity internship program."

(a)

Program

Subtitle D of title XIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

1334.

Cybersecurity internship program

(a)

Program

The Secretary shall carry out a cybersecurity internship program (in this section referred to as the Program) under which an eligible individual participates in a paid cybersecurity internship at the Department with duties aligned to such participant’s respective education, skills, and experience.

(b)

Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in the Program, an individual shall—

(1)

be a citizen of the United States;

(2)

be at least 16 years old; and

(3)

be enrolled in a secondary school, technical, trade, or vocational school, or institution of higher education, in accordance with subsection (c).

(c)

Composition

The Secretary shall, as practicable, ensure that participants selected for the Program for each intern class include students enrolled in each of the following:

(1)

Secondary schools.

(2)

Junior or community colleges.

(3)

Undergraduate degree programs.

(4)

Postgraduate degree programs.

(5)

Technical, trade, or vocational schools.

(d)

Reports

(1)

Reports

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall 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 on the Program.

(2)

Matters

Each report under paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to the most recent Program year, the following:

(A)

A description of outreach efforts by the Secretary to raise awareness of the Program among secondary schools and institutions of higher education, including among junior or community colleges, historically-Black colleges and universities, and other minority-serving institutions.

(B)

Information on specific recruiting efforts by the Secretary to increase participation in the Program.

(C)

The number of individuals participating in the Program, listed by the type of school or program in which the individual is enrolled at the time of participation, and information on the nature of each such participation, including Department components supported, and the duties of each such individual.

(3)

Consolidation

Reports submitted under this subsection may be consolidated with the reports required under section 1333(e).

(e)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Historically black college or university

The term historically Black college or university has the meaning given the term part B institution in section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).

(2)

Institution of higher education

The term institution of higher education has the meaning given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).

(3)

Junior or community college

The term junior or community college has the meaning given that term in section 312 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058).

(4)

Minority-serving institution

The term minority-serving institution means an eligible institution of higher education described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).

(5)

Secondary school

The term secondary school means a school or program that provides secondary education, as determined under State law, except that the term does not include any education beyond grade 12.

(6)

Technical, trade, or vocational school

The term technical, trade, or vocational school has the meaning given that term in section 411.167 of title 20, Code of Federal Regulations.

.

(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 1333 the following new item:

Sec. 1334. Cybersecurity internship program.

.

Passed the House of Representatives December 10, 2024.

Kevin F. McCumber,

Clerk.