Bill > S2605

This bill aims to improve the Department of Defense's (DoD) ability to recruit and retain cybersecurity talent by creating new workforce management authorities. The bill establishes a flexible hiring system that allows the Secretary of Defense to create special cyber-focused positions in the "excepted service" (a category of federal employment with more flexible hiring rules) outside of traditional civil service constraints. These positions include a new Defense Digital Executive Service and Defense Digital Senior Level positions designed to attract top cybersecurity experts. The Secretary can appoint individuals to these roles without standard civil service restrictions and offer competitive compensation, with the ability to pay up to 150% of the maximum Executive Schedule pay rate. The bill includes provisions for a two-year probationary period, allows employees to refuse conversion to the new service, and requires annual reporting to Congress on recruitment metrics, including the number of employees hired, veterans employed, and retention incentives. Additionally, the Comptroller General will assess the effectiveness of these new hiring authorities after five years. The overall goal is to give the DoD more flexibility in building a skilled cyber workforce capable of meeting the department's complex technological defense needs.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2605/all-info