H.R. 1000 — Cyber PIVOTT Act

This section establishes the short title of the Act as the “Providing Individuals Various Opportunities for Technical Training to Build a Skills-Based Cyber Workforce Act of 2025” or the “Cyber PIVOTT Act.”

This section establishes the Providing Individuals Various Opportunities for Technical Training to Build a Skills-Based Cyber Workforce Program (PIVOTT Program) within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to expand cybersecurity education and training partnerships with community colleges, technical schools, and other institutions of higher education offering 2-year programs. As background, CISA is the Department of Homeland Security component responsible for cybersecurity workforce development and critical infrastructure protection. The section directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the CISA Director, to seek partnerships with participating institutions to provide education and training programs and to facilitate internship and post-graduation Federal job opportunities. It makes eligible students who are: (1) enrolled but not yet started in a 2-year cyber or cyber-relevant associate’s degree program or comparable technical certification; (2) in their first semester of such a program; (3) identified by the CISA Director as eligible and qualified to enroll, including career changers, individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent, and entry-level applicants; and (4) enrolled in technical certifications that take less than 2 years to complete but align with National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Tasks, Knowledge, and Skills and prepare students for Federal, State, local, Tribal, or territorial cyber roles. The section requires the Program to provide full tuition scholarships, including academic fees, lab fees, travel, lodging, per diem, stipends, internship costs, virtual participation costs, certification testing fees, and other expenses the Director determines necessary, including costs for one in-person exercise and related assessments. It also requires participants who complete the Program to fulfill a 2-year service obligation in a cyber or cyber-relevant role for an executive agency or a State, local, Tribal, or territorial government. The service obligation does not apply to students who have already completed a term of Armed Forces service equal to the obligation, are currently serving in the Armed Forces, or pursue Armed Forces service in a cyber or cyber-relevant role during or immediately after the Program. Students who immediately enroll in a 4-year degree program after completing the Program may defer the service obligation until after receiving that degree. The section requires students to complete the Program within 4 years of starting it, unless participating institution rules provide otherwise, and authorizes the CISA Director to grant additional time on a case-by-case basis for students experiencing extreme hardship. It limits institutional eligibility to community colleges, technical schools, and other institutions of higher education that either participate in the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity program or are determined eligible by the CISA Director based on alignment with NICE pathways and the presence of a cybersecurity clinic on campus.