---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 18996"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "18996"
heading: "Cybersecurity workforce data initiative"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/18996"
units:
  - "Chapter 163 — Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter III — National Science Foundation for the Future"
  - "Part B — STEM Education"
---

# §18996. Cybersecurity workforce data initiative


The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1), acting through the National [Center](/usc/42/18901.md?p=17) for Science and Engineering Statistics established in [section 1862p of this title](/usc/42/1862p.md) and in coordination with the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) of the National [Institute](/usc/42/18921.md?p=4) of Standards and Technology and other appropriate Federal statistical [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), shall establish a cybersecurity workforce data initiative that—

- (1) assesses the feasibility of providing nationally representative estimates and statistical information on the cybersecurity workforce;
- (2) utilizes the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce [Framework](/usc/42/18921.md?p=3) (NIST Special Publication 800–181), or other [frameworks](/usc/42/18921.md?p=3), as appropriate, to enable a consistent measurement of the cybersecurity workforce;
- (3) utilizes and complements existing data on employer requirements and unfilled positions in the cybersecurity workforce;
- (4) consults key stakeholders and the broader community of practice in cybersecurity workforce development to determine data requirements needed to strengthen the cybersecurity workforce;
- (5) evaluates existing Federal survey data for information pertinent to developing national estimates of the cybersecurity workforce;
- (6) evaluates administrative data and other supplementary data sources, as available, to describe and measure the cybersecurity workforce; and
- (7) collects statistical data, to the greatest extent practicable, on credential attainment and employment outcomes information for the cybersecurity workforce.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10317, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1531.)