Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced the bipartisan Cyber Centers of Excellence Partnership Act to strengthen America’s cybersecurity readiness and workforce development nationwide. The bill would establish a partnership between the Department of Defense (DoD) and universities designated by the National Security Agency as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, creating opportunities to share research, best practices, and emerging approaches between the public and private sectors. This program would not only increase collaboration between top research institutions and our specialized military cyber units but also create direct pathways for qualified students into federal cybersecurity careers.
“American military dominance depends on our nation’s ability to operate in cyberspace, making it essential to maintain a robust cybersecurity workforce. I’m proud to work across the aisle with Senator Rosen to strengthen the pipeline of cyber talent by establishing programs where students in our nation’s NSA-designated Centers of Academic Excellence can get real-world experience conducting critical cyber operations in defense of our homeland,” said Senator Budd.
“As technological advancements become more heavily integrated into modern warfare, it is more important than ever that our nation has the talent and personnel needed to handle looming threats,” said Senator Rosen. “This bipartisan bill would ensure that our military and top universities can keep up with every wave of ever-changing cyber threats, while also attracting the country’s most talented young minds and bolstering our cyber-ready workforce.”
Read the full bill text HERE.
BACKGROUND
DoD faces a growing demand for skilled cyber professionals to support offensive and defensive operations. NSA-designated Centers of Academic Excellence programs can help meet that demand by equipping students with the cyber skills needed to enter government service and strengthen our national security workforce.
The Cyber Centers of Excellence Partnership Act would:
• Expand the cyber talent pipeline available to the DoD.
• Increase collaboration between operational cyber units and leading cybersecurity research institutions.
• Provide students with practical experience supporting military cyber missions.
• Identify barriers to onboarding cyber talent, including clearance processing and network access requirements.
• Improve recruitment and retention of highly skilled cyber professionals for national security missions.
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