[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 108 (Thursday, August 1, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S7953]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
  S. 2887. A bill to provide for the sharing of homeland security 
information by Federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies with 
State and local entities; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I introduce the Homeland Security 
Information Sharing Act, a bill to increase state and local access to 
security information that could save American lives. The House has 
already passed similar legislation bill sponsored by Representatives 
Harman and Chambliss, and it is my understanding that the 
Administration supports this legislation as well.
  The bill I introduce today will not solve our intelligence problems--
we have a long road ahead of us before we can accomplish that. But this 
legislation will send a clear signal to our federal agencies that 
information gathered at the federal level must be shared with states 
and localities if we are to triumph in the battle against terrorism.
  State and local law enforcement are first-line defenders of our 
homeland security. Too often, though, state and local officials do not 
receive information necessary for them to protect us. If, for instance, 
there were a terrorist threat against the Golden Gate Bridge in San 
Francisco, we would want a cooperative effort between the Federal 
government and local officials.
  This bill would:
  Direct the President to establish procedures for federal agencies to 
share homeland security information with state and local officials, and 
for all government officials to be able to communicate with each other. 
Local officials should quickly have access to relevant intelligence 
necessary to prevent or respond to attacks in their communities.
  Direct the President to address concerns about too much dissemination 
of classified or sensitive information, by setting procedures to 
protect this material. This could include requiring background checks 
of local officials who seek access to classified information, or 
perhaps even non disclosure agreements so that secret information stays 
secret.
  Direct the President to ensure that our current information sharing 
systems and computers are capable of sharing relevant homeland security 
information with each other and with state and local systems.
  Mr. President, we can improve information sharing without re-
inventing the wheel. The legislation applies technology already used to 
share information with our NATO allies and with Interpol. The 
information can be shared through existing networks, such as the 
National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, the Regional 
Information Sharing Systems, and the Terrorist Threat Warning System. 
These systems already reach law enforcement offices throughout America.
  Better information sharing will result in better homeland security. 
As a Congress, we are already working on making intelligence gathering 
and dissemination work better within the federal government. We must 
not forget to improve communications with state and local law 
enforcement as well.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I hope that we 
can pass it quickly in September. It is non-controversial, and would 
help send a clear signal that information gathering and dissemination 
may be our best defense against terror.
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