; (3) the States conduct elections and it is important to maintain State leadership in election administration; (4) the States deserve Federal support to secure our elections from interference by foreign nations; and (5) election security in the United States will benefit from continued education and investment in the individuals that administer our elections. 3. Supporting continuing education for election officials and employees (a) Program authority and method of distribution The Election Assistance Commission (in this section referred to as the Commission ) shall establish a program under which the Commission pays to each eligible institution such sums as may be necessary to pay to each eligible certificate program enrollee (as defined in subsection (b)) for each academic year during which that enrollee is enrolled in an accredited certificate program in election administration or cybersecurity in the amount for which that enrollee is eligible, as determined pursuant to subsection (c). Not less than 85 percent of such sums shall be advanced to eligible institutions prior to the start of each payment period and shall be based upon an amount requested by the institution as needed to pay eligible certificate program enrollees until such time as the Commission determines an alternative payment system that provides payments to institutions in an accurate and timely manner, except that this sentence shall not be construed to limit the authority of the Commission to place an institution on a reimbursement system of payment. (b) Eligible certificate program enrollee In this section, the term eligible certificate program enrollee means an individual who— (1) is a State or local election official, an employee of a State or local election official, or an employee of the Commission; (2) certifies to the Commission their enrollment in an accredited certificate program in election administration or cybersecurity