Press Release
| For Immediate Release May 20, 2004 |
Contact: Moira Whelan (HSC) (202) 226-8827 Tasha Cole/Drew Hammill 202-225-4506 |
Meek, Turner Introduce SHIELD Privacy Act
Legislation Creates Privacy Monitoring Positions in Various Federal Agencies
WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Kendrick B. Meek (D-FL), member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, and Congressman Jim Turner (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Committee, and 25 other House Democrats, today introduced the Strengthening Homeland Innovation by Emphasizing Liberty, Democracy, and Privacy Act, or SHIELD Privacy Act, to strengthen homeland security by protecting privacy and civil liberties.
The bill’s provision would:
-
Create a Presidentially-appointed “Privacy Czar” in the Office of Management and Budget to coordinate federal government privacy policies;
-
Create Chief Privacy Officers within federal and independent agencies; and
-
Establish a Commission on Privacy, Freedom, and Homeland Security to conduct a comprehensive study of U.S. efforts to further homeland security in a manner that protects privacy, civil liberties, and individual freedoms.
“We have a constitutional responsibility to provide for the common defense and to protect the freedoms and rights of Americans. By developing homeland security initiatives that are consistent with our constitutional guarantees relating to privacy and civil liberties, we can protect our country while maintaining our values,” stated Turner.
The legislation was drafted in response to concerns raised in a report entitled, “Securing Our Homeland, Strengthening Our Liberties,” which brought to light many deficiencies in our nation’s security.
“It would be a hollow victory to win the War on Terror at the cost of our own democratic values, and that’s why this bill is so important—it will keep federal agencies focused on civil liberties and ensure that law-abiding citizens’ rights are respected,” Meek said.
The SHIELD Privacy Act is the sixth in a set of comprehensive bills introduced by Homeland Security Democrats. Details are available at www.house.gov/hsc/democrats.
