appropriate congressional committees a report on the feasibility of establishing a Cybersecurity Fellowship Program to offer a tuition payment plan for undergraduate and doctoral candidates who agree to work for the Department for an agreed-upon period of time. . (2) Clerical amendment The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 230 the following new item: Sec. 230A. Cybersecurity occupation categories, workforce assessment, and strategy. . (b) Personnel authorities (1) In general Subtitle C of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by subsection (a)(1) of this section, is further amended by adding at the end the following new section: 230B. Personnel authorities (a) In general (1) Personnel authorities The Secretary may exercise with respect to qualified employees of the Department the same authority that the Secretary of Defense has with respect to civilian intelligence personnel and the scholarship program under sections 1601, 1602, 1603, and 2200a of title 10, United States Code, to establish as positions in the excepted service, appoint individuals to such positions, fix pay, and pay a retention bonus to any employee appointed under this section if the Secretary determines that such is needed to retain essential personnel. Before announcing the payment of a bonus under this paragraph, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a written explanation of such determination. Such authority shall be exercised— (A) to the same extent and subject to the same conditions and limitations that the Secretary of Defense may exercise such authority with respect to civilian intelligence personnel of the Department of Defense