Kaine Statement On President Obama’s Cybersecurity Announcements Including $25 Million In Grants For Historically Black Colleges & Universities

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, released the following statement today on the new cybersecurity initiatives announced by President Obama in Arlington today:  

“I applaud the President for his enduring commitment to improving our nation’s cybersecurity. Cyber threats pose a significant risk to every part of our increasingly connected society and addressing the problem will require a unique, sustained collaboration between the public and private sectors.

“I am especially pleased that the President’s announcement includes $25 million in grants to invest in cybersecurity education at 13 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and two national labs, including Norfolk State University. With these new grants, Norfolk State and other HBCUs will be better equipped to provide students with the training and skills necessary to combat current and future cyber threats, as well as meet the growing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals in Virginia and across the country. I look forward to welcoming Vice President Biden and Secretary Moniz to Norfolk State on Thursday to announce these important investments and highlight the remarkable talent of Norfolk State University’s students.”

In December, Kaine urged the Director of the Air National Guard to consider the Virginia Air National Guard at Joint Base Langley-Eustis as a designated location for an Air Force Space Command Cyber Operations Squadron (COS).

As Governor and Senator, Kaine has been an advocate for expanding access to job training programs in highly-skilled, technical fields. Last year, he introduced bipartisan legislation to increase access to high-quality CTE programs and recruit and train talented teachers with technical experience through teacher residency programs.

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