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HARMAN & CHAMBLISS INTRODUCE HOMELAND SECURITY INTELLIGENCE SHARING LEGISLATION

- Homeland Security Information Sharing Act Receives Strong Support From Law Enforcement -

WASHINGTON, February 28 - Mayor Rudy Giuliani testified before the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security last Fall and urged Congress to "pass legislation to permit and encourage information sharing between federal, state and local law enforcement."

Today, US Congresswoman Jane Harman, Ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security (D-CA), and Subcommittee Chairman Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) - along with thirteen Intelligence Committee colleagues - introduced legislation to do just that.

Their bill - the Homeland Security Information Sharing Act - directs federal intelligence agencies such as the FBI and CIA to share information about possible terrorist attacks with the nation's governors, mayors, law enforcement and first responders.

"America's 650,000 uniformed police officers and 1 million firefighters are our first line of defense," said Harman. "All terrorist acts are local. Our local responders need the best information we have to protect our nation. We must provide them with all the necessary tools and information they need to thwart or respond to another attack." Chambliss added, "Information sharing is the key to cooperation and coordination in homeland security."

The Act calls for:

· The development of procedures by which federal agencies will share information with state and local personnel (and vice versa) within six months;
· The use of existing technology (used in sharing information with NATO allies and INTERPOL) that converts classified intelligence into a format that can be easily shared through declassification or "stripping" of sources and methods in a timely manner; and
· An increase in the number of security clearance investigations at the state and local level in order to facilitate the sharing of classified information.

The Act has the strong support of California Governor Gray Davis, The International Union of Police Associations, the National League of Cities, and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, who stated, "Effective communications between agencies is one of the most important tools law enforcement can have."

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