[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5822 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5822
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 1, 2020
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 an acquisition
professional career program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Homeland Security Acquisition
Professional Career Program Act''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF THE ACQUISITION PROFESSIONAL CAREER PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Title VII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6
U.S.C. 341 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
``SEC. 711. ACQUISITION PROFESSIONAL CAREER PROGRAM.
``(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department an
acquisition professional career program to develop a cadre of
acquisition professionals within the Department.
``(b) Administration.--The Under Secretary for Management shall
administer the acquisition professional career program established
pursuant to subsection (a).
``(c) Program Requirements.--The Under Secretary for Management
shall carry out the following with respect to the acquisition
professional career program.
``(1) Designate the occupational series, grades, and number
of acquisition positions throughout the Department to be
included in the program and manage centrally such positions.
``(2) Establish and publish on the Department's website
eligibility criteria for candidates to participate in the
program.
``(3) Carry out recruitment efforts to attract candidates--
``(A) from institutions of higher education,
including such institutions with established
acquisition specialties and courses of study,
historically Black colleges and universities, and
Hispanic-serving institutions;
``(B) with diverse work experience outside of the
Federal Government; or
``(C) with military service.
``(4) Hire eligible candidates for designated positions
under the program.
``(5) Develop a structured program comprised of acquisition
training, on-the-job experience, Department-wide rotations,
mentorship, shadowing, and other career development
opportunities for program participants.
``(6) Provide, beyond required training established for
program participants, additional specialized acquisition
training, including small business contracting and innovative
acquisition techniques training.
``(d) Reports.--Not later than December 31, 2020, and annually
thereafter through 2026, 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 acquisition professional career program. Each such report shall
include the following information:
``(1) The number of candidates approved for the program.
``(2) The number of candidates who commenced participation
in the program, including generalized information on such
candidates' backgrounds with respect to education and prior
work experience, but not including personally identifiable
information.
``(3) A breakdown of the number of participants hired under
the program by type of acquisition position.
``(4) A list of Department components and offices that
participated in the program and information regarding length of
time of each program participant in each rotation at such
components or offices.
``(5) Program attrition rates and post-program graduation
retention data, including information on how such data compare
to the prior year's data, as available.
``(6) The Department's recruiting efforts for the program.
``(7) The Department's efforts to promote retention of
program participants.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Hispanic-serving institution.--The term `Hispanic-
serving institution' has the meaning given such term in section
502 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a).
``(2) Historically black colleges and universities.--The
term `historically Black colleges and universities' has the
meaning given the term `part B institution' in section 322(2)
of Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)).
``(3) Institution of higher education.--The term
`institution of higher education' has the meaning given such
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).''.
(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 710 the following new item:
``Sec. 711. Acquisition professional career program.''.
Passed the House of Representatives September 30, 2020.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.