Establishment of the Office of Biometric Identity Management

(a)

In general

Title VII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 341 et. seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

710.

Office of Biometric Identity Management

(a)

Establishment

The Office of Biometric Identity Management is established within the Department. (b)

Director

(1)

In general

The Office of Biometric Identity Management shall be administered by the Director of the Office of Biometric Identity Management (in this section referred to as the Director) who shall report to the Secretary, or to another official of the Department, as the Secretary may direct. (2)

Qualifications and duties

The Director shall— (A)have significant professional management experience, as well as experience in the field of biometrics and identity management; (B)lead the Department’s biometric identity services to support anti-terrorism, counter-terrorism, border security, credentialing, national security, and public safety; (C)enable operational missions across the Department by matching, storing, sharing, and analyzing biometric data; (D)deliver biometric identity information and analysis capabilities to— (i)the Department and its components; (ii)appropriate Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies; (iii)appropriate foreign governments; and (iv)appropriate private sector entities; (E)support the law enforcement, public safety, national security, and homeland security missions of other Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies, as appropriate; (F)manage the operation of the Department’s sole biometric repository; (G)manage Biometric Support Centers to provide biometric identification and verification analysis and services to the Department, appropriate Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies, appropriate foreign governments, and appropriate private sector entities; (H)in collaboration with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, establish a Department-wide research and development program to support efforts in assessment, development, and exploration of biometric advancements and emerging technologies; (I)oversee Department-wide standards for biometric conformity, and work to make such standards Government-wide; (J)in coordination with the Department’s Office of Policy, and in consultation with relevant component offices and headquarters offices, enter into data sharing agreements with appropriate Federal agencies to support immigration, law enforcement, national security, and public safety missions; (K)maximize interoperability with other Federal, State, local, and international biometric systems, as appropriate; and (L)carry out the duties and powers prescribed by law or delegated by the Secretary. (c)

Deputy Director

There shall be in the Office of Biometric Identity Management a Deputy Director, who shall assist the Director in the management of the Office. (d)

Other authorities

(1)

In general

The Director may establish such other offices within the Office of Biometric Identity Management as the Director determines necessary to carry out the missions, duties, functions, and authorities of the Office. (2)

Notification

If the Director exercises the authority provided by paragraph (1), the Director shall notify the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate not later than 30 days before exercising such authority.

(b)

Transfer limitation

The Secretary of Homeland Security may not transfer the location or reporting structure of the Office of Biometric Identity Management (established pursuant to section 710 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by subsection (a) of this section) to any component of the Department of Homeland Security. (c)

Clerical amendment

The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 709 the following new item:

Sec. 710. Office of Biometric Identity Management.