Thompson, Harman Urge No Funding for NAO (Additional Materials)
Friday, May 16, 2008
(WASHINGTON) – Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment Chair Jane Harman (D-CA) sent a letter to Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), Subcommittee on Homeland Security Appropriations Chairman David E. Price (D-NC), and Select Intelligence Oversight Panel Chairman Rush Holt (D-NJ) to urge no authorization or appropriations for DHS’ National Applications Office (NAO) without a satisfactory legal framework.
Chairman Thompson released the following statement with the letter:
“The Secretary may have dumped a whole pile of documents on Congress to support his self-serving determination that DHS had ‘fully addressed’ Congress’ privacy and civil liberties concerns but the fundamental constitutional questions are still unaddressed. How, under the law, can DHS share military satellite imagery with law enforcement and not violate the Posse Comitatus Act?”
Chair Harman added the following:
“DHS’ Office of Intelligence and Analysis is a full-fledged member of the Intelligence Community. With the NAO falling under its auspices, DHS has the constitutional obligation to install a tight legal framework to make sure privacy and civil liberties are protected,” said Harman. “Until we are assured that those protections are in place, the NAO should not move forward.”
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Please contact Dena Graziano or Adam Comis at (202) 225-9978.
