Homeland security bills move forward

The House passed eight homeland security
bills designed, among other things, to
strengthen cybersecurity, promote greater
sharing of unclassified information and prevent
the over-classification of information.
Here is a summary of the measures that
the House passed.

H.R. 3815, Homeland Security Open
Source Information Enhancement Act:
Sponsored by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.),
this bill would require the Homeland Security
secretary to use open-source information to
develop and disseminate open-source homeland
security information products.

H.R. 4806, Reducing Over-Classification
Act: Sponsored by Rep. Jane Harman
(D-Calif.), this bill would require the
Homeland Security secretary to develop a
strategy to prevent the over-classification of
information and promote the sharing of
unclassified information.

H.R. 6193, Improving Public Access to
Documents Act: Sponsored by Harman, this
bill would require the Homeland Security secretary
to promote the use of the controlled
unclassified information framework with relevant
unclassified information.

H.R. 6098, Personnel Reimbursement for
Intelligence Cooperation and Enhancement
of Homeland Security Act: Sponsored by Rep.
Dave Reichert (R-Wash.), this bill would
ensure that homeland security grants can be
applied to retain and acquire intelligence analysts
to work in fusion centers.

H.R. 5170, Department of Homeland
Security Component Privacy Officer Act:
Sponsored by Rep. Christopher Carney
(D-Penn.), this bill would provide for a privacy
official within each component of the
Homeland Security Department.

H.R. 5983, Homeland Security Network
Defense and Accountability Act: Sponsored by
Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), this measure
seeks to enhance DHS' information security
by giving the chief information officer authority
to approve the development and implementation
of information management resources.

H.R. 5531, Next Generation Radiation
Screening Act: Sponsored by Rep. Peter King
(R-N.Y.), this measure would clarify the criteria
for certification relating to advanced spectroscopic
portal monitors and authorize the
Secure Our Cities nuclear detection pilot at
$40 million.

H.R. 2490: Sponsored by Rep. Gus
Bilirakis (R-Fla.), this bill would authorize a
successful pilot program that the Coast Guard
has been conducting for the mobile biometric
identification in the maritime environment of
individuals interdicted at sea.