Copyright 2003 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved.
On November 27, President Bush signed into law the Cyber Security Research and Development Act (P.L. 107-305) authorizing nearly $903 million in funds over five years to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The funding will go towards an array of programs to improve basic research in computer security, encourage partnerships between industry and academia, as well as to generate a new cybersecurity workforce.
The Cyber Security Research and Development Act was introduced by House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. It initially passed the House in early February by a vote of 400-12, but it wasn't until November 12 that the Senate passed an amended version of the bill. The House quickly cleared the way for the legislation to go to the White House for the president's signature.
In his remarks on the floor after final passage of H.R. 3394, Chairman Boehlert stated that the bill is designed to "usher in a new era in cybersecurity research. Cybersecurity research will no longer be a backwater, but rather will become a priority at two of our premier research agencies." Representative Brian Baird (D-WA), who cosponsored the bill along with ranking member Ralph Hall (D-TX), added, "In today's world, security has to mean more than locking doors and installing metal detectors. Our economy relies on a vast information infrastructure that is woefully under protected. This bill puts the best and the brightest to work developing ways of making our computer networks impenetrable."
The bill authorizes a total of $593 million between fiscal years (FY) 2003-2007 to NSF, of which $233 million would go to basic research grants; $144 million to the establishment of multidisciplinary computer and network security research centers; $95 million to "capacity building" grants to establish or improve undergraduate and graduate education programs; and $90 million to doctoral programs. In addition, it authorizes $25 million in development grants to establish training programs to increase the number of professors teaching courses in cybersecurity. Finally, NSF would receive $6 million to support computer and network security education grants under the Scientific and Advanced Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862i).
NIST would receive almost $310 million over the same five years of which $275 million would go towards research programs that involve a partnership between industry, academia, and government laboratories. In addition, funding may go towards post-doctoral research fellowships. The bill also provides $32 million for intramural research conducted at NIST laboratories.
In addition to the $310 million in research funds, H.R. 3394 provides $2.15 million for NIST's Computer System Security and Privacy Advisory Board to conduct analyses of emerging security and research needs. Finally, the bill would provide an additional $700,000 for the National Research Council to conduct a two-year study of our nation's existing infrastructure vulnerabilities.
Changes made by the Senate included the insertion of the $6 million faculty grants, and language to ensure that universities and students that participate in these programs comply with federal immigration laws. ••• [an error occurred while processing this directive]
Copyright 2003 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved. |