Bill Summary
This bill, called the "Protecting Students from Cybercrimes Act", aims to provide funds and guidance to local educational agencies to address cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities. The bill recognizes the increased vulnerability of educational institutions to cyber attacks due to the shift towards online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also highlights the importance of protecting sensitive student information and the need for increased funding and guidance from the federal government to adequately prepare for and defend against potential attacks. The bill authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to local educational agencies for activities such as implementing cyber threat indicators, coordinating with emergency management and government agencies, and establishing programs to support students pursuing careers in cybersecurity. It also authorizes an annual budget of $5 million for five years to carry out these measures.
Possible Impacts
1. The "Protecting Students from Cybercrimes Act" could affect local educational agencies by requiring them to use grant funds for specific purposes such as enhancing information sharing and analysis organizations, implementing cybersecurity systems, and establishing programs for students pursuing cybersecurity careers. This could potentially limit the flexibility of these agencies in how they allocate their funds and resources.
2. Students and their families could be affected by this legislation if their personal information is at risk of being compromised in a cyber attack on their educational institution. This could lead to identity theft or other consequences for the students and their families.
3. The legislation could also potentially limit the recreational or social activities that local educational agencies can use their funds for, as it prohibits the use of grant funds for such purposes. This could impact the extracurricular activities and programs that these agencies are able to offer to students.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7530 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7530
To direct the Attorney General to make grants to assist local
educational agencies in developing and implementing plans to address
cybersecurity threats or vulnerabilities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 9, 2020
Mr. Harder of California introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to
the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Attorney General to make grants to assist local
educational agencies in developing and implementing plans to address
cybersecurity threats or vulnerabilities, 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 ``Protecting Students from Cybercrimes
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Educational institutions across the country are
becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks with the
switch to online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2) Cyber attacks put sensitive and confidential
information at risk of disclosure.
(3) Increased cyber attacks place sensitive student
information, such as student academic achievement records,
grades, medical records, and other personal identifiable
information at risk.
(4) School districts are not sufficiently equipped to
prevent damaging cyber attacks. Increased funding and guidance
from the Federal Government are needed to adequately prepare
for and defend against potential cyber attacks.
(5) Increased Federal funding and guidance will give school
districts the ability to reduce their risk and exposure to
cyber attacks.
(6) Increased Federal funding to school districts will
enable school district residents to pursue formal education,
training, and industry recognized certifications for careers in
cybersecurity, which will aid in the prevention and mitigation
of the effects of future attacks.
(7) Increased Federal funding and guidance will allow
school districts, campuses, and institutions of higher
education to share information and analysis to prevent future
cyber attacks.
SEC. 3. SCHOOL CYBERCRIME PROTECTION GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--The Attorney General, acting through the
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (referred to in this
section as the ``FBI Director''), is authorized to make grants to any
local educational agency (as such term is defined in section 8101 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)) or
group of local educational agencies to assist in preventing, preparing
for, protecting against, and responding to cybercrimes.
(b) Use of Grant Funds.--
(1) Limitations.--Any grant awarded under this section
shall supplement and not supplant local educational agency or
local funds, as applicable, and may not be used--
(A) to provide any Federal cost-sharing
contribution on behalf of a local educational agency;
or
(B) for any recreational or social purpose.
(2) Approved activities for grants.--A local educational
agency that receives funds through this grant program shall use
such funds for one or more of the following activities:
(A) Supporting or enhancing information sharing and
analysis organizations.
(B) Implementing or coordinating systems and
services that use cyber threat indicators (as such term
is defined in section 102 of the Cybersecurity
Information Sharing Act of 2015 (6 U.S.C. 1501)) to
address cybersecurity threats or vulnerabilities.
(C) Preventing, preparing for, protecting against,
and responding to cybercrimes, including coordinating
with--
(i) emergency management elements of the
State in which the local educational agency is
located, municipality, and local educational
agency;
(ii) Federal Bureau of Investigation or
Department of Homeland Security units, as
appropriate;
(iii) entities associated with critical
infrastructure or key resources;
(iv) information sharing and analysis
organizations;
(v) public safety answering points; or
(vi) nongovernmental organizations engaged
in cybersecurity research as an information
analysis and sharing organization designated by
the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the
Department of Homeland Security.
(D) Establishing programs, such as scholarships or
apprenticeships, to provide financial assistance to
students served by the local educational agency who--
(i) pursue formal education, training, and
industry-recognized certifications for careers
in cybersecurity as identified by the National
Initiative for Cybersecurity Education; and
(ii) commit to working for a local
educational agency for not less than 2 years.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2021 through 2025.
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