Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) was pleased to announce today that the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee passed a bill implementing recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and strengthening the Homeland Security Department.
The Improving America's Security by Implementing Unfinished Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (S. 4) contains:
The Privacy Officer with Enhanced Rights (POWER) Act of 2007 (S. 332), introduced by Senator Akaka on January 18, 2007, along with Senators Russell Feingold (D-WI) and Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT), which strengthens the investigative authority and independence of the Chief Privacy Officer at the Department of Homeland Security
The Federal Agency Data Mining Reporting Act of 2007 (S. 236), introduced by Senators Feingold, John Sununu (R-NH), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Akaka, which requires federal agencies to report on their data mining activities related to terrorist or criminal activity, an important check to safeguard the privacy of all Americans.
"I asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to look into federal data mining activities in 2003, and GAO found 122 data mining actions involving personal information," Akaka said. "The GAO also found that these agencies were not following all the required privacy and security policies. Given the increasing use of data mining by government agencies, and the threats such activities pose to American's privacy rights, I believe Congress must have a full accounting of these data mining programs, and must ensure that DHS has a strong Privacy Officer empowered to protect our privacy rights."
S. 4 also contains legislation championed by Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) and Senator Akaka, establishing a Chief Management Officer at the Department of Homeland Security (S. 547). "I know that the Department of Defense (DoD) has struggled over the years to address major program challenges, in the absence of a single, accountable leader to promote and sustain management changes. I am so pleased that the Committee has acted to ensure that DHS will not face the same problems plaguing DoD."
In separate action today, the Committee passed a bill to preserve judicial seats on the Washington, D.C. Superior Court (S. 550), introduced by Senator Akaka, and cosponsored by Senators Voinovich and Lieberman. The legislation would address an unintended consequence of the DC Family Court Act of 2001, which gave the Family Court three additional judicial seats, but failed to increase the cap on the total number of judges for the Superior Court.
"As a result of the Family Court Act of 2001, vacancies in other divisions of the court, including the criminal and civil division, cannot be filled if the cap has already been reached. Congress must act to ensure that D.C. citizens do not face a delay in justice due to a lack of judicial staff," Akaka said.
Senator Akaka is the Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia.
-30-
