Dhs Intelligence and Analysis Oversight and Transparency Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8664, the DHS Intelligence and Analysis Oversight and Transparency Act.

H.R. 8664 would require the Undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security to annually audit and report to Congress on the information systems and bulk data of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, or I&A.

The bill would ensure such systems and data are consistent with oversight guidelines.

Last year, at the request of Ranking Member Thompson, the Government Accountability Office issued a report that found that I&A is not auditing its information systems and bulk data.

Such audits are necessary to ensure, for example, that information pertaining to U.S. persons that is collected, stored, shared, and managed in information systems is protected.

The GAO report recommended that the Undersecretary identify who is responsible for conducting the audits of information systems and that the responsible official actually conduct them. This bill would simply codify the recommendations made in the GAO report.

Mr. Speaker, I support this commonsense legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill would ensure that DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis audits their systems and data, and that personnel follow policies to protect the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties of United States persons.

I thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Lee) for introducing the bill in response to oversight done by Democrats on the committee.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 8664, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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