Modernizing the Acquisition of Cybersecurity Experts Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Comer and Ranking Member Raskin for recognizing me.

I rise today in support of legislation that I partnered on with Congresswoman Mace to modernize hiring guidance for Federal cybersecurity security jobs. She and I both agree that government employees should be the best in the business. Taxpayers deserve nothing less from the people we employ.

How do we get the best of the best into our Federal jobs? Just like in any market, it all comes down to one thing: fostering competition.

For too long, overly restrictive Federal hiring guidance has stifled competition and prevented Federal agencies from being able to hire the best applicants for cybersecurity jobs if they don't meet all of the stringent educational requirements.

If who gets hired for our Federal jobs always comes down to just one credential, our government is going to miss out on some great employees.

No part of the Federal Government should disqualify an individual from winning the competition for a Federal job based on whether they have one type of educational credential. We are only going to figure out who is best to fill a role if we let all qualified candidates show us all their qualifications.

The truth is, there is not one type of educational experience that is always going to make a cybersecurity professional the best of the best. I am a former college professor, and I know that a lot of people will learn skills in their college degree programs that prepare them to be a Federal cybersecurity professional. At the same time, I also know that college isn't affordable and accessible for everyone, and the reality is that many people gain the skills necessary to succeed at Federal cybersecurity jobs through other life experiences.

The door must be open to both types of qualified candidates, and the Federal Government should then be able to pick who is most prepared to do the job based on a holistic view of the candidates.

The Modernizing the Acquisition of Cybersecurity Experts, MACE, Act stops the Federal Government from ruling out people without a specific educational credential. Instead, it lets all qualified applicants compete and gives the Federal Government more choices. This is something we should be able to agree on regardless of party.

This bill mirrors an executive order that was issued under President Trump and President Biden has chosen to keep it on the books today. It has worked under administrations of both parties, and now we need to make it permanent in our law.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my Democratic and Republican colleagues to support this bill. We can only have the best Federal cybersecurity professionals when we have had the chance to consider all of the qualified candidates, and the MACE Act will give us this chance.

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