Summarized by the Alliance for Fort Gordon
Published March 25, 2023
Senate lawmakers introduced a legislative package on Tuesday to establish civilian cybersecurity reserve pilot programs within the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security to help bolster the federal government’s cyber resilience amid a national shortage of high-skilled cybersecurity personnel.
The pair of bipartisan bills—introduced by Sens. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.—would enable DOD and DHS “to recruit qualified civilian cybersecurity personnel to serve in reserve capacities to ensure the U.S. government has the talent needed to defeat, deter or respond to malicious cyber activity, especially at times of greatest need,” according to a joint press release. Participation in the reserve programs would be voluntary and “by invitation only,” and would not include members of the military Selected Reserve.