Department Of Homeland Security Component Privacy Officer Act Of 2008
Floor Speech
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Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today in support of H.R. 5170, the Department of Homeland Security Component Privacy Officer Act, sponsored by my committee colleague, Chris Carney.
H.R. 5170 would direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate a full-time privacy official within components of the Department. These components include the Transportation Security Administration, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FEMA, the Coast Guard, the Science and Technology Directorate, the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, and NPPD.
The bill provides that each component privacy official will report directly to the Department's Chief Privacy Officer. Each component privacy officer shall have primary responsibility for implementing the Department's privacy policy within its component.
The bill provides for a dual direct report relationship to both the privacy official's component head and the Department's Chief Privacy Officer in carrying out his or her duties.
I think we all can agree that protecting the privacy of our Nation's citizens is of great importance, and that privacy considerations should be integrated into the decision-making process at all DHS components.
I am pleased that the Department has already recognized the importance of privacy protection. In November, 2007, Secretary Chertoff signed a DHS memorandum entitled Designation of Component Level Privacy Officers. This memorandum calls for the designation of full-time component privacy officers at CBP, ICE, FEMA, the Bureau of Citizen and Immigration Services, the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, and the Science and Technology Directorate. Both TSA, US-VISIT, and the Bureau of Citizen and Immigration Services had their own privacy officials for some time.
H.R. 5170 takes the additional step of statutorily mandating component privacy officials. The approach this bill takes certainly has much merit, though I hope that we can address some of the Department's concerns about the impacts the bill's mandates may have on the ability of the next Secretary to manage the administration of the Department as the legislative process moves on.
Mr. Speaker, having said that, I intend to support H.R. 5170 and encourage all our colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and if the gentleman from Florida has no speakers, then I am prepared to close after the gentleman closes.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, before I yield back the balance of my time, I just want to emphasize how important I believe it is for the House to consider both an authorization and appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security this year. Every Republican member of the Committee on Homeland Security has signed a letter to the Speaker, Speaker Pelosi, urging her to bring the fiscal year 2009 DHS Appropriations bill, which the Appropriations Committee has already approved, to the floor immediately. And I will add that the chairman has done an outstanding job. We would respectfully renew that request today.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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