WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced bipartisan legislation to build on existing efforts to recruit and retain cybersecurity professionals within the federal government. The Department of Defense Comprehensive Cyber Workforce Strategy Act would require the Department of Defense (DoD) to further its development of a comprehensive cybersecurity workforce strategy to ensure critical national security missions have the skilled workforce needed to protect our nation’s networks and defend against foreign adversaries and cybercriminals.
“Cyberattacks pose a significant threat to our national security and will only continue to become more complex with new developments in technology,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan, commonsense bill will ensure that we have the highly skilled experts we need in place to protect against ever-evolving cybersecurity threats.”
“Readiness is a critical part of our nation’s cybersecurity,” said Senator Rounds. “We must make certain that we have a well-trained and ready workforce operating in close coordination with our national security enterprise to support our overall cyber strategy, prepare for future threats and respond to incoming attacks.”
Despite the complex national security systems and technological resources for which the Department of Defense is responsible, the agency has faced many challenges in recruiting and retaining skilled cybersecurity professionals. As of September 2025, the Department has a vacancy rate of 10%, or roughly 25,000 empty cybersecurity positions. The Department of Defense Comprehensive Cyber Workforce Strategy Act prioritizes cybersecurity workforce recruitment and retention efforts, allowing our nation to retain skilled experts to ensure mission continuity and protect against evolving cyber threats.
In his role on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Peters has led efforts to ensure our nation can better defend against cyberattacks. His historic, bipartisan provision to require critical infrastructure owners and operators to report if they experience a substantial cyberattack or if they make a ransomware payment was signed into law. Peters’ bipartisan bills to enhance cybersecurity assistance to K-12 educational institutions, bolster cybersecurity for state and local governments, strengthen the federal cybersecurity workforce, and help secure federal information technology supply chains have also been signed into law.
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