Congressman August Pfluger, who chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, addressed witnesses during a committee hearing titled "Preparing the Pipeline: Examining the State of America's Cyber Workforce." The hearing focused on evaluating the current status of the U.S. cybersecurity workforce.
The panel of witnesses included Robert Rashotte from Fortinet, David Russomanno from the University of Memphis, Chris Jones from Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corp, and Max Stier from Partnership for Public Service.
Chairman Pfluger emphasized the importance of addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities. He stated, “We have been hit over the last four years. We have seen gaps in our security. We have been vulnerable."
During his questioning, Chairman Pfluger sought insights into enhancing cybersecurity education at institutions like Angelo State University. Dr. Russomanno suggested expanding training programs beyond traditional computer science pathways to attract Gen Z students interested in national security challenges. He noted that while threats are increasing, workforce growth remains stagnant.
Pfluger also questioned if current training programs adequately address emerging threats such as volt typhoon attacks. Dr. Russomanno responded by advocating for increased investment in state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions.
Chris Jones discussed internship opportunities within Electric Co-Ops and their role in educating future professionals about cybersecurity practices and infrastructure management. Addressing concerns about infrastructure vulnerability to cyberattacks, he assured that cybersecurity is a top priority for Electric Co-Op managers nationwide.
Jones concluded by emphasizing collaboration with federal authorities to strengthen critical infrastructure defenses against potential cyber threats.