H.R. 6824 — what changed
President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition Act
From Introduced in House to Reported in House. 1 section amended between Introduced in House and Reported in House.
Sec. 2 President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition
In general— The Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (referred to in this section as the “Director”) of the Department of Homeland Security is authorized to hold an annual cybersecurity competition to be known as the “Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition” (in this section referred to as the “competition”) for the purpose of identifying, challenging, and competitively awarding prizes, including cash prizes, to the United States Government’s best cybersecurity practitioners and teams across offensive and defensive cybersecurity disciplines.
Competition design—
In general— Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Director, in carrying out the competition, may consult with, and consider advice from, any person who has experience or expertise in the development, design, or execution of cybersecurity competitions.
Limitation— The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to consultations pursuant to this section.
Prohibition— A person with whom the Director consults under paragraph (1) may not—
receive pay by reason of being so consulted; or
be considered an employee of the Federal Government by reason of so consulting.
Eligibility— To be eligible to participate in the competition, an individual shall be a Federal civilian employee or member of the uniformed services (as such term is defined in section 2101(3) of title 5, United States Code) and shall comply with any rules promulgated by the Director regarding the competition.
Competition administration— The Director may enter into a grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or other agreement with a private sector for-profit or nonprofit entity or State or local government agency to administer the competition.
added
Competition parameters— Each competition shall incorporate the following elements:
added
Cybersecurity skills outlined in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Framework, or any successor framework.
added
Individual and team events.
added
Categories demonstrating offensive and defensive cyber operations, such as software reverse engineering and exploitation, network operations, forensics, big data analysis, cyber analysis, cyber defense, cyber exploitation, secure programming, obfuscated coding, or cyber-physical systems.
added
Any other elements related to paragraphs (1), (2), or (3) as determined necessary by the Director.
added
Funding— Support for the competition, including financial support for the design and administration of the competition or funds for a cash prize, may consist of—
removed
Funding—
removed
In general— Support for the competition, including financial support for the design and administration of the competition or funds for a cash prize, may consist of—
renumbered
was (6)(2)(3)
amounts appropriated pursuant to appropriations Acts or otherwise made available for such purpose; and
added
funds provided by other Federal agencies, which—
added
shall be credited to, and in addition to, any amounts appropriated or otherwise made available pursuant to paragraph (1) to carry out this section; and
added
may be obligated and expended for such purpose by the Secretary of the Homeland Security, acting through the Director.
removed
in accordance with paragraph (2), funds provided by other Federal agencies, States, United States territories, local governments, federally recognized Tribal governments, or private sector for-profit or nonprofit entities.
removed
Request— The Director may request and accept funds from other Federal agencies, States, United States territories, local governments, federally recognized Tribal governments, and private sector for-profit and nonprofit entities.
removed
Obligation and expenditure— Funds accepted pursuant to paragraph (2) shall be credited to, and in addition to, any amounts appropriated or otherwise made available pursuant to paragraph (1)(A) to carry out this section, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director, may obligate and expend such funds for such purpose—
removed
without regard to specific authorization relating thereto provided in advance in an appropriations Act; and
removed
not subject to any condition or purpose relating thereto specified in such appropriations Act.
renumbered
was (7)
Use of funds— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Director may use funds available for carrying out the competition authorized under this section for the following:
renumbered
was (7)(3)
Advertising, marketing, and promoting the competition.
renumbered
was (7)(4)
Meals for participants and organizers of the competition if attendance at the meal during the competition is necessary to maintain the integrity of the competition.
renumbered
was (7)(5)
Promotional items, including merchandise and apparel.
renumbered
was (7)(6)
Monetary and nonmonetary awards for competition participants, including members of the uniformed services.
renumbered
was (7)(7)
Necessary expenses for the honorary recognition of competition participants, including members of the uniformed services.
renumbered
was (7)(8)
Any other appropriate activity necessary to carry out the competition, as determined by the Director.
renumbered
was (8)
Prize limitation— The Director may make one or more awards per competition, except that the amount or value of each shall not exceed $10,000. The Secretary of Homeland Security may make one or more awards per competition, except the amount or the value of each shall not to exceed $25,000. A monetary award under this section shall be in addition to the regular pay of the recipient.
added
Reporting requirements— The Director shall annually provide to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report that includes the following:
added
A description of available funds under subsection (f) for each competition conducted in the preceding year.
added
A description of expenditures authorized in subsection (g) for each competition.
added
Information relating to the participation of each competition.
added
Information relating to lessons learned from each competition and how such lessons may be applied to improve cybersecurity operations and recruitment of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security.