News from Congresswoman Jane Harman

Congresswoman Jane harman - Press Release

June 26, 2002

HARMAN'S INTELLIGENCE SHARING LEGISLATION OVERWHELMINGLY PASSED BY U.S. HOUSE

"As We've Learned, More Information Sharing Might Have Prevented 9/11"

WASHINGTON D.C. - The Homeland Security Information Sharing Act (H.R. 4598) was overwhelmingly passed today by the full House of Representatives by a vote of 422 to 2.

The act, introduced in February by US Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-CA), Ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, and Subcommittee Chairman Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), directs federal intelligence agencies such as the FBI and CIA to share information about possible terrorist attacks with governors, mayors, law enforcement and first responders.

After the vote Harman stated,

"As we've learned, more information sharing might have prevented 9/11. Without such systems, dots that could be connected to save American lives are left scattered across various intelligence agencies. This bill helps solve two critical problems: information sharing between the FBI and CIA, and sharing between the federal government and local first responders like mayors, police and firefighters. These problems must be solved whether or not we establish a new Department of Homeland Security. The Senate must now pass similar legislation, and the President must sign information sharing into law."

Rep. Chambliss added, "Today the House passed important legislation that would greatly improve our efforts to protect America's Homeland - the Homeland Security and Information Sharing Act. Sharing information will allow us to effectively prepare for and defend ourselves against future attacks."

Outside the steps of the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Harman discusses the Homeland Security Information Sharing Act, which passed in the House by a vote of 422 to 2. With her are (left to right) Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)

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, Frank Libutti, Deputy NYPD Commissioner for Counter-Terrorism, who called the bill, "An important first step in improving relationships with law enforcement agencies at all levels and in dealing more effectively with potential terrorist threats," 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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H.R. 4598

Homeland Security Information Sharing Act

Sharing of critical homeland security information has been a key concern of a number of state and local officials as well as community leaders. The Homeland Security Information Sharing Act promotes the sharing of critical homeland security threat information between federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies and state and local officials, including police officers, sheriffs, governors, mayors, other elected officials, and other emergency responders while continuing to protect sensitive sources and collection methods information.

MAJOR PROVISIONS OF THE BILL

· Emergency responders at the state and local level need credible and specific threat information in order to prevent or respond to a terrorist attack. State and local personnel also have useful information to share among with intelligence agencies. The bill directs that critical threat information be shared between federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies with state and local personnel, including granting security clearances to appropriate state and local personnel.

· The bill directs the President to develop procedures by which federal agencies will share homeland security information with state and local personnel (and vice versa). It ensures that information sharing systems have the capability to transmit classified or unclassified information, have the capability to restrict delivery of information based on a recipients need to know, and be accessible to appropriate state and local personnel.

· The bill protects the constitutional and statutory rights of individuals by requiring that any information that is shared must not be used for any unauthorized purpose and the procedures must ensure the security and confidentially of the information as well as remove or delete obsolete or erroneous information.

During mark up, the Judiciary Committee included an amendment that would remove legal barriers to allow certain types of information to be shared with appropriate state and local offices consistent with guidelines issued by the Attorney General and Director of Central Intelligence. This information would include foreign intelligence information and homeland security information gained during a grand jury investigation, through an electronic, wire, or oral intercept, or through electronic surveillance or physical search.