119-s2169

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2169 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2169

 To require the development of a comprehensive rural hospital 
 cybersecurity workforce development strategy, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 June 25 (legislative day, June 24), 2025

 Mr. Hawley (for himself, Ms. Hassan, and Mr. Kelly) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To require the development of a comprehensive rural hospital 
 cybersecurity workforce development strategy, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Hospital Cybersecurity 
Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given the 
 term in 

section 551 of title 5, United States Code.

    (2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
 ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
        (A) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
 Pensions of the Senate; and
        (B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
 House of Representatives.

    (3) Geographic division.--The term ``geographic division'' 
 means a geographic division that is among the 9 geographic 
 divisions determined by the Bureau of the Census.

    (4) Rural hospital.--The term ``rural hospital'' means a 
 healthcare facility that--
        (A) is located in a non-urbanized area, as 
 determined by the Bureau of the Census; and
        (B) provides inpatient and outpatient healthcare 
 services, including primary care, emergency care, and 
 diagnostic services.

    (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Health and Human Services.

SEC. 3. RURAL HOSPITAL CYBERSECURITY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall develop and transmit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a comprehensive rural hospital 
cybersecurity workforce development strategy to address the growing 
need for skilled cybersecurity professionals in rural hospitals.

    (b) Consultation.--

    (1) Agencies.--In carrying out subsection

    (a) , the 
 Secretary may consult with the Director of the Cybersecurity 
 and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Secretary of Education, 
 the Secretary of Labor, and any other appropriate head of an 
 agency.

    (2) Providers.--In carrying out subsection

    (a) , the 
 Secretary shall consult with not fewer than 2 representatives 
 of rural healthcare providers from each geographic division in 
 the United States.
            (c) Considerations.--The rural hospital cybersecurity workforce 
development strategy developed under subsection

    (a) shall, at a 
minimum, consider the following components:

    (1) Partnerships between rural hospitals, non-rural 
 healthcare systems, educational institutions, private sector 
 entities, and nonprofit organizations to develop, promote, and 
 expand the rural hospital cybersecurity workforce, including 
 through education and training programs tailored to the needs 
 of rural hospitals.

    (2) The development of a cybersecurity curriculum and 
 teaching resources that focus on teaching technical skills and 
 abilities related to cybersecurity in rural hospitals for use 
 in community colleges, vocational schools, and other 
 educational institutions located in rural areas.

    (3) Identification of--
        (A) cybersecurity workforce challenges that are 
 specific to rural hospitals, as well as challenges that 
 are relative to hospitals generally; and
        (B) common practices to mitigate both sets of 
 challenges described in subparagraph
        (A) .

    (4) Recommendations for legislation, rulemaking, or 
 guidance to implement the components of the rural hospital 
 cybersecurity workforce development strategy.
            (d) Annual Briefing.--Not later than 60 days after the date on 
which the first full fiscal year ends following the date on which the 
Secretary transmits the rural hospital cybersecurity workforce 
development strategy developed under subsection

    (a) , and not later than 
60 days after the date on which each fiscal year thereafter ends, the 
Secretary shall provide a briefing to the appropriate committees of 
Congress that includes, at a minimum, information relating to--

    (1) updates to the rural hospital cybersecurity workforce 
 development strategy, as appropriate;

    (2) any programs or initiatives established pursuant to the 
 rural hospital cybersecurity workforce development strategy, as 
 well as the number of individuals trained or educated through 
 such programs or initiatives;

    (3) additional recommendations for legislation, rulemaking, 
 or guidance to implement the components of the rural hospital 
 cybersecurity workforce development strategy; and

    (4) the effectiveness of the rural hospital cybersecurity 
 workforce development strategy in addressing the need for 
 skilled cybersecurity professionals in rural hospitals.

SEC. 4. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR RURAL HOSPITALS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall make available instructional materials 
for rural hospitals that can be used to train staff on fundamental 
cybersecurity efforts.

    (b) Duties.--In carrying out subsection

    (a) , the Secretary shall--

    (1) consult with appropriate heads of agencies, experts in 
 cybersecurity education, and rural healthcare experts;

    (2) identify existing cybersecurity instructional materials 
 that can be adapted for use in rural hospitals and create new 
 materials as needed; and

    (3) conduct an awareness campaign to promote the materials 
 available to rural hospitals developed under subsection

    (a) .

SEC. 5. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS.

 No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for the 
purpose of carrying out this Act.
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