Bipartisan legislation that would establish a National Digital Reserve Corps that would support federal agencies' cyber and digital needs has been introduced in the House in a bid to address the ongoing shortfall of cyber talent, reports FedScoop.
Under the bill introduced by Reps. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., and Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, reservists would be allowed to apply for three-year employment in the federal government's cybersecurity and digital projects, as well as digital education and training. The U.S. Department of Labor would also be mandated to ensure employment for reservists once they conclude their annual service.
"As we have seen from previous cyberattacks, our government currently lacks the workforce capacity needed to combat ransomware and bad actors. The National Digital Reserve Corps strives to fill that void with civilian industry experts working in service to our federal government and our national security. This will bring the ingenuity and expertise of the private sector to our federal government to bolster our nations cybersecurity defense," Gonzales said.