PHOTOS: Capito Hosts CISA Director to Review Cybersecurity Efforts at Marshall University

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today hosted Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Jen Easterly in Huntington, W.Va. to see firsthand the impact that Marshall University's Institute for Cyber Security and the National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure (NCOE) will have on cyber security and cyber workforce development in West Virginia and our nation.

During the visit, Senator Capito and Director Easterly met with administrators, faculty and students from Marshall University and West Virginia University, as well as partners across the governmental spectrum including Joint Force Headquarters - Department of Defense Information Network (JFHQ-DODIN) to foster an enduring collaboration between the NCOE and CISA. Additionally, Senator Capito moderated a Women in Cyber panel discussion that featured Director Easterly alongside leaders and advocates in cyber education, training, and protection of critical infrastructure.

"When I first came to the U.S. Senate, I met with leaders at Marshall University to discuss areas that their institution could focus on, and cyber security was an area of great interest. For years, I have worked as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee to direct resources toward Marshall to help this emphasis grow, and I was thrilled to have Director Easterly, at my invitation, here in Huntington with me to see its impact. The Institute for Cyber Security and National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure will bolster our cyber security workforce, both now and in the future, and will make West Virginia a hub for cyber security protection of our country's most critical assets. I'm proud to have played a role in making this possible," Senator Capito said.

"I was honored to join Senator Capito on today's visit to Marshall University. The Institute for Cyber Security and National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure is emblematic of the innovation we need to inspire our next generation of cyber professionals and advance the cutting edge research necessary to keep our nation secure and resilient. I am particularly excited to strengthen the collaboration between CISA and NCOE given the foundational importance of cultivating a talented and diverse cyber workforce to protect the critical infrastructure Americans rely on every day," Director Easterly said.

The NCOE brings together a diverse network of academic, government, and industry partners in active collaboration to educate, train, and certify the current and next generation of cyber professionals. The network of influence is expanding further, through outreach and key leader engagement.

BACKGROUND:

The creation of Marshall's Institute for Cyber Security is a result of Senator Capito's advocacy and support, and she has consistently pushed for the establishment of both the institute and JFHQ-DODIN's NCOE while working with leadership at the university, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and other federal agencies, throughout the process.

• In October 2021, Senator Capito visited Marshall University for the launch of the school's new Institute for Cyber Security.

• In May of 2023, Senator Capito applauded the establishment of a National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure in West Virginia.

• In May of 2024, Senator Capito participated in the groundbreaking ceremony on Marshall University's Institute for Cyber Security and the Joint Force Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network's (JFHQ-DODIN) National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure (NCOE), which will be housed within the institute.

• In June 2024, Senator Capito penned an op-ed published in Defense News, Federal Times, and C4ISRNET about cyber threats to critical infrastructure where she highlighted the NCOE and further explained how West Virginia's cyber expertise is contributing to national security.

As a leader on the Appropriations Committee-including serving as former Chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee and now a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee-Senator Capito has championed funding for these projects.

• In March 2022, Senator Capito secured $1,500,000 for technology and equipment for Marshall's Institute for Cyber Security.

• In June of 2023, Senator Capito secured $1,000,000 for Marshall University to support research and education in cyber security.

• For the JFHQ-DODIN's NCOE specifically, Senator Capito secured $5 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, and $14 million in FY24 through appropriations legislation.

Photos from today's events are included below:

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Jen Easterly participate in a presentation on Marshall University's National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure in Huntington, W.Va. on Monday, August 19, 2024.

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Jen Easterly meet with students at Marshall University's National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure in Huntington, W.Va. on Monday, August 19, 2024.

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) moderates a panel discussion during her visit to Marshall University's National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure in Huntington, W.Va. with Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Jen Easterly on Monday, August 19, 2024.

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