A bipartisan duo of House lawmakers has introduced a bill that would eliminate some educational requirements for cybersecurity-related positions within the federal government.
Reps. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., and Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, who respectively serve as chair and ranking member of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, introduced the Cybersecurity Hiring Modernization Act on Aug. 19 to prioritize cyber skills-based hiring.
“As cyber threats against our government continue to grow, we need to make sure our federal agencies hire the most qualified candidates, not just those with traditional degrees,” said Rep. Mace in a statement. “This bill cuts red tape, opens doors to skilled Americans without a four-year diploma but with the expertise to get the job done, and strengthens our nation’s cybersecurity workforce.”
Under the legislation, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) would be required within one year to update its website with changes to minimum education qualifications and data that shows the level of education – sorted by position – of everyone hired to cybersecurity positions.
Positions that would be impacted by the act include those under the GS-2210 Information Technology management series, and other cybersecurity roles identified in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education framework.
“I’m proud to co-lead … legislation to remove outdated hiring policies, expand workforce opportunities to a wider pool of talented applicants, and help agencies hire the staff that they need,” said Rep. Brown in a statement.
The representatives said the legislation is also intended to follow up on an executive order from the Trump administration in June which updated two cybersecurity orders issued by the Biden and Obama administrations.
“The Cybersecurity Hiring Modernization Act builds on this momentum, enabling agencies to hire skilled professionals while advancing President Trump’s mission to strengthen defenses and modernize government,” said Rep. Mace’s office.
Federal officials have estimated the cyber workforce gap to be around 500,000 positions short of what the nation needs – a concern that has grown under the Trump administration’s ongoing federal hiring freeze.
Similar legislation introduced by Rep. Mace in the past includes the Modernizing the Acquisition of Cybersecurity Experts Act, which sought to limit the amount of education that federal employees would need to hold a cybersecurity position. While the bill passed the House, it stalled out in the Senate.