The proposed Cybersecurity Grants For Schools Act of 2022 establishes mandated federal grants to schools to promote cybersecurity education.
New legislation introduced into Congress on Tuesday would allocate federal grants to state governments to provide a stronger cybersecurity curriculum to younger generations.
Introduced by Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino, R-N.Y., the Cybersecurity Grants For Schools Act of 2022 would require the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to distribute federal funding to state and local schools, as well as financial aid to nonprofits, to better educate people about the cybersecurity landscape. The bill passed the House Committee on Homeland Security Wednesday.
“The threat of cyberattacks from Russia and other foreign adversaries is more prevalent than ever,” Garbarino said in a press release. “Cybersecurity is essential for our national security and economic security. By incorporating cybersecurity into our school’s curriculum, alongside core subjects like math and science, we will be able to bring up the next generation with a strong foundation to not only protect themselves individually from cybercrimes, but also to inspire greater participation in the cybersecurity workforce.”
He mentioned that a deeper understanding about cybersecurity and malware attacks are critical as international tensions rise as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine.
A renewed concern for America’s cybersecurity accompanied the military assault on Ukraine, with lawmakers anticipating stronger cyber attacks from Russia in the future.
“Cyber attacks are the next frontier in the great power competition with China and Russia and we must act now to mitigate this threat and build resilience throughout our citizenry,” Garbarino continued.
The grants would be issued through the Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program within CISA. CETA helps distribute cybersecurity and other computer science curricula throughout K-12 schools in the U.S.
With Garbarino’s bill, higher education institutions would also be eligible for educational funding. The proposed legislation also aims to address labor shortages in the cybersecurity field.
Cosponsors of the bill include Reps. John Katko, R-NY, and Dina Titus, D-Nev.
