Rounds Introduces Cybersecurity Bills to Strengthen Penalties for Cybercrimes, Incentivize Cyber Workforce
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Cybersecurity Subcommittee, introduced a pair of cybersecurity-related bills. The Cyber Conspiracy Modernization Act would strengthen penalties for cybercrimes. The Providing Individuals Various Opportunities for Technical Training to Build a Skills-Based Cyber Workforce Act of 2025 (Cyber PIVOTT Act) would provide scholarships to students and professionals training in cyber-related fields.
“As cyber technologies continue to rapidly evolve, we need more people working to secure cyberspace as well as harsher penalties for those perpetrating these crimes,” said Rounds. “As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, I am committed to working on policies that strengthen the United States’ ability to respond quickly and decisively to cyberattacks which have been on the rise.”
The Cyber Conspiracy Modernization Act would amend the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) to create a specific penalty for the crime of conspiracy under the CFAA. There is currently no crime of conspiracy that is specific to the CFAA, meaning the U.S. Department of Justice charges conspiracy to commit cybercrimes under a general statute rather than under the cyber-specific CFAA. While the general conspiracy statute has a maximum penalty of five years, a CFAA-specific conspiracy charge would be anywhere from ten years to life imprisonment depending on severity.
This legislation is cosponsored by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).
Click HERE for full text of the Cyber Conspiracy Modernization Act.
The Cyber PIVOTT Act would establish a scholarship program for students looking to earn a degree in a cybersecurity-related field at a two-year technical school. In exchange for this scholarship, students would commit to working in a cybersecurity position within the federal, state, local or tribal government for two years following completion of the program.
Western Dakota Technical College in Rapid City, South Dakota, would be eligible to participate in this program.
“Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC) supports Sen. Mike Rounds’ legislation to expand the cybersecurity workforce through technical education scholarships for two-year cyber degrees,” said Christine Goldsmith, Acting President of Western Dakota Technical College. “Recognizing the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals, WDTC provides specialized training and has proudly earned two NSA Cyber Defense designations: a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) and a validated NSA Cyber Defense Program Study for its Computer Science – Information Technology Specialist Program.”
This legislation is cosponsored by Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.). A companion version of the Cyber PIVOTT Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Click HERE for full text of the Cyber PIVOTT Act.
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