The “Cyber Security Exchange Act” would help the government develop expertise in fighting cybercrime by allowing private-sector workers to be part of the federal workforce for a while, and allow government workers to spend time in the private sector.
U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) introduced the bill on Monday.
“Our country’s cybersecurity should be a top priority, but currently, our government needs additional cybersecurity experts to ensure we are not vulnerable to attacks from adversaries and cybercriminals,” Klobuchar said in a news release. “This bipartisan legislation will allow our federal agencies to work with private sector experts at the top of the cybersecurity field to help ensure that our networks are protected.”
“This is a great opportunity for federal government agencies to tap into the vast cybersecurity resources that exist in the private sector and academia, as well as bolster the capabilities of their counterparts,” Thune said. “Ensuring the cybersecurity of our nation is an all-hands priority, and the exchange of ideas and best practices that this bill would facilitate would better position our national security community to tackle the cyber threats of the future.”
Jacqueline Thomsen, a reporter for The Hill, suggests the issue is gaining more attention in Washington.
“Gaps in the cybersecurity workforce have been a concern for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle,” she writes. “The Senate Homeland Security Committee is set this week to take up a bill that would allow federal staff working on cyber to cycle through other agencies.”
