02/06/2025
Pfluger Advocates for Strong, Robust American Cybersecurity Workforce
Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, questioned key witnesses during yesterday's full committee hearing entitled, “Preparing the Pipeline: Examining the State of America's Cyber Workforce.”
The witnesses included Robert Rashotte, VP of Training Institute and Global Engagement, Fortinet; David Russomanno, EVP of Academic Affairs and Provost, University of Memphis; Chris Jones, President and CEO, Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corp; and Max Stier, President and CEO, Partnership for Public Service. Read the witnesses' testimonies HERE.
Prior to his line of questioning, Chairman Pfluger highlighted the need for this hearing, saying in part, “We have been hit over the last four years. We have seen gaps in our security. We have been vulnerable. I think you holding this hearing today is an acknowledgement of a new direction that we are going, and we're going to make sure, damn sure, that we're protected. So I thank our witnesses and our panelists.”
Watch Chairman Pfluger' s full line of questioning HERE.
Watch the hearing in its entirety HERE.
Read Chairman Pfluger's full line of questioning with responses here:
Chairman Pfluger: I want to start by saying that I represent Angelo State University, a center of academic intelligence in cyber defense. Dr. Russomanno, I'll start with you: what lessons should Angelo State be learning? And what programs should they seek to help with the shortage of cyber professionals that we have, especially those from places like rural Texas that want to be a part of our security and defense? And give us some of the lessons you've learned and those that I can share with an institution like that.
Dr. Russomanno: I think the key is expanding the portfolio of training with respect to cybersecurity readiness. Once again, many folks think of just Computer Science Engineering as those pathways, but there's others. And with respect to the national security threats that have been voiced, I know Gen Z students, they want to make a difference, right? They are looking for meaningful work. That wasn't necessarily the motivation of an 18-year-old in my generation, but Gen Z wants to make a difference. So a call to this national security threat is something that Gen Z could rise to. And I will point out that the ISC two study from last year pointed out that our cybersecurity growth is flat, year over year last year. So as the threat is increasing, our workforce growth is flat. We have to broaden the academic programs and the training programs available to our students, and articulate the urgency and the opportunity for Gen Z to make a difference in this challenge our nation faces.
Chairman Pfluger: Are those training programs adequately suited to address the threat? To meet the threat, or is volt typhoon and some of these things that we've seen recently, I mean, are they outpacing what we're learning? Or is it adequate right now?
Dr. Russomanno: We need more investment and applying the state of the art to our cybersecurity threats. And I think the Cyber PIVOTT Act is addressing broadening that workforce focused on applying the state of the art.
Chairman Pfluger: Thank you. Mr. Jones, I'll go to you and I have two questions for you. Number one, talk about internships and kind of pick up where Dr. Russomanno left off. What do those internships look like? What's most beneficial? How do we take a center of excellence, a student who comes from rural West Texas, and put that individual into a proper internship?
Mr. Jones: Yeah, Congressman. Thank you. So, there is an opportunity, obviously, for someone to come in and learn about cybersecurity, about the techniques that we have in place, but also to learn about an Electric Co-Op. You know, for a place like you're describing, a good place to work with a virtuous mission. So, there's a good exchange there, and we hope to raise the profile of what Electric Co-Ops do in internship programs like that.
Chairman Pfluger: Well, that's where I was going with the second part of the question is, how worried are our cooperatives, which service communities like mine in many, many cases, how worried are we that that piece of critical infrastructure is vulnerable to an attack that would shut down the lights?
Mr. Jones: Well, Congressman, I would relate it this way, if I may, so Electric Co-Op managers, we have a universal, and always have had a universal, item that keeps us up at night, and that's the safety of our team members. And we have a dangerous profession, but we have an accompanying worry that keeps us up at night now, and it's certainly cybersecurity. So this weighs heavy, I can assure you, on every Electric Co-Op manager across this country. So we're taking it seriously. We're working together. We're collaborating. We appreciate this opportunity to collaborate with the federal government. We want to be the best partner we can be. But yes, it is top of mind for all of us.
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