HR 302 United States House · 118th Congress

Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Act of 2023

HR 302 establishes the Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Program under the Department of Energy to support graduate students and postdoctoral researchers studying cybersecurity within energy infrastructure. The program provides competitive grants for scholarships, fellowships, and research projects at colleges and universities, including required research traineeships at National Laboratories and utilities. It specifically prioritizes outreach to historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges, and minority-serving institutions. The Secretary must report on the program's implementation within one year of enactment.

Sub-Topics: Cybersecurity Higher Education

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2023

Committee Review

Feb 2023

House Passage

Feb 2023

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Jan 11, 2023 Last action Feb 7, 2023

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 5 edits · Feb 6, 2023

MODERATE

The Engrossed version of HR 302 removes the requirement for the Secretary of Energy to establish a standalone 'Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Program' and instead directs the Secretary to support workforce development activities in coordination with programs already funded under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. This shifts the bill from creating a new formal program to integrating with existing funding streams, while adding an explicit purpose of developing a next-generation energy-specific cybersecurity workforce.

SCOPE

The bill no longer requires the Secretary to 'establish' a formal Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Program. Instead, it directs the Secretary to support activities aimed at developing a next-generation energy-specific cybersecurity workforce. The section title changed from 'program' to 'activities.'

An explicit purpose statement was added: 'support the development of a next-generation energy-specific cybersecurity workforce.'

REQUIREMENT

A new coordination requirement was added: the Secretary must act 'in coordination with the activities authorized under title VIII of division Z of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260),' tying the bill's activities to an existing funded program.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'Department' (meaning the Department of Energy) was removed from the definitions subsection, likely because it is no longer needed without a standalone program structure.

TECHNICAL

The report requirement language changed from 'development and implementation of the Program' to 'implementation of the activities described in subsection (a),' consistent with the removal of the formal program concept.

Floor votes · House Feb 6, 2023

How they voted

357–56

Passed · 20 other

Total votes 433

Feb 6, 2023

D Democratic212

203 Yea 9

95% Yea

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican220

153 Yea 56 Nay 11

69% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 7, 2023

Committee

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

upper

Feb 6, 2023

Introduced

The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

lower

Feb 6, 2023

Introduced

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 357 - 56 (Roll no. 107). (text: CR H694-695)

lower

Feb 6, 2023

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 357 - 56 (Roll no. 107). (text: CR H694-695)

lower

Feb 6, 2023

Introduced

Mr. Lucas moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

lower

Jan 11, 2023

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

lower

Jan 11, 2023

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor