Congress Passes Homeland Bills to Improve Information Sharing and Grant Oversight
September 28, 2010 (WASHINGTON) – Today, the Congress of the United States will send two critical pieces of homeland security legislation to the President for signature. The first is "the Reducing Over-Classification Act" (H.R. 553), sponsored by Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment Chair Jane Harman (D-CA), which will address the over-classification problem in the intelligence community which hinders information sharing between federal, state, local, and private partners. The second is "the Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance for Preparedness Grants Act" (H.R. 3980) sponsored by Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism Chair Henry Cuellar (D-TX), which will help determine the effectiveness of homeland security grants given to state and local entities.
Congresswoman Harman released the following statement with the passage of H.R. 553:
“Over-classification of information impedes our effort to give first responders real-time intelligence so they can prevent and disrupt terror plots. This bill provides tools to reduce over-classification – and is a big step forward in keeping our communities safe.”
Rep. Bennie Thompson, Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, commended Rep. Harman for her leadership on this critical national security issue and added the following statement upon passage of H.R. 553:
“Reducing the amount of unnecessary classification and increasing the amount of information shared throughout the public and private sectors will contribute to improving or ability to detect, deter, and prevent terrorist plots. Nine years after the attacks of September 11th, we must stand together and reject—once and for all—the practice of over-classification, an outgrowth of the outdated ‘need to know’ paradigm.”
Congressman Cuellar released the following statement with the passage of H.R. 3980:
“FEMA called its assessment a work-in-progress,” said Congressman Cuellar. “But their work-in-progress just wasn’t working and that’s why I immediately drafted this bill. This legislation will make sure that FEMA gets its program back on track, and will ensure FEMA fulfills its promise to prepare the nation against acts of terrorism and other unforeseeable events.”
Chairman Thompson added the following statement following passage of H.R. 3980:
“I am pleased that this legislation, sponsored by Mr. Cuellar, will go to the President. When enacted, it will ensure that FEMA takes steps to determine the Nation’s overall preparedness and how homeland security grants have built necessary capabilities.”
# # #
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact Dena Graziano or Adam Comis at (202) 225-9978
