October 22, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 167 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H8301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS MONTH

  The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize October as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
  This month is a collaborative effort between government and industry 
to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity in our 
increasingly technology-driven world. We must emphasize the importance 
of cybersecurity and take proactive steps to enhance our security both 
at home and in the workplace.
  That includes making a concerted effort to train dedicated 
professionals who work to protect citizen privacy, consumer data, and 
e-commerce. Training postsecondary students in cybersecurity-related 
fields of study will be an instrumental part in protecting data and the 
flow of sensitive information.
  That is why I join my colleague, Congressman  Jim Langevin, in 
introducing a bipartisan bill to strengthen cybersecurity education in 
career and technical education programs.
  H.R. 1592, the Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act, directs the 
Department of Education to create a competitive grant program that 
integrates cybersecurity education into new and established 
postsecondary career and technical education programs. This bill also 
requires the Secretary of Education to coordinate with the Department 
of Homeland Security, which oversees the defense of our critical 
infrastructure and networks, to promote a robust ecosystem of 
cybersecurity education and training.
  We must prepare our next generation of learners to have the most 
sophisticated and comprehensive educational programs to protect our 
Nation's critical asset systems and networks.
  Despite the real harm and damage that can result from cyberattacks, 
cybersecurity is rarely covered enough in our current workforce 
development programs. That is why, together with my friend Congressman 
Langevin, we have introduced this bill to help protect our sensitive 
data and critical infrastructure from bad actors.
  Madam Speaker, we must continue developing a 21st century workforce 
to meet the technical demands our country is facing now and in the 
future. This includes our cybersecurity.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this bill and for every citizen 
to learn more about protecting their privacy and data online during 
this Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

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