[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 106 (Monday, June 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5632-H5633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2000
   OFFICE OF BIOMETRIC IDENTITY MANAGEMENT AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2018

  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5206) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to 
establish the Office of Biometric Identity Management, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5206

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Office of Biometric Identity 
     Management Authorization Act of 2018'' or the ``OBIM 
     Authorization Act of 2018''.

     SEC. 2. 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:

     ``SEC. 710. OFFICE OF BIOMETRIC IDENTITY MANAGEMENT.

       ``(a) Establishment.--The Office of Biometric Identity 
     Management is established within the Management Directorate 
     of 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 
     receiving, matching, storing, sharing, and analyzing 
     biometric and associated biographic and encounter 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 primary 
     biometric repository and identification system;
       ``(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) oversee the implementation of Department-wide 
     standards for biometric conformity, and work to make such 
     standards Government-wide;
       ``(I) 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, State, local, and foreign agencies 
     to support immigration, law enforcement, national security, 
     and public safety missions;
       ``(J) maximize interoperability with other Federal, State, 
     local, and foreign biometric systems, as appropriate;
       ``(K) ensure the activities of the Office of Biometric 
     Identity Management are carried out in compliance with the 
     policies and procedures established by the Privacy Officer 
     appointed under section 222; and
       ``(L) carry out other 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) 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.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Arizona (Ms. McSally) and the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. 
Langevin) each will control 20 minutes.

[[Page H5633]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Terrorists, transnational criminal organizations, and others seeking 
to do this Nation harm are constantly coming up with new ways to cross 
our borders.
  We used to rely on biographic information, such as names and 
birthdays, to identify and prevent these threats from entering our 
country. But the development of biometric identity-matching technology 
allows us to more quickly and effectively confirm people that they are 
who they say they are.
  The use of biometric technology to positively identify individuals 
who seek entry into the United States is a 21st century solution to 
multiple homeland security problems. The technology enhances the 
security of our citizens, facilitates legitimate travel and trade, and 
bolsters the integrity of our immigration system.
  My bill authorizes the Office of Biometric Identity Management, or 
OBIM, the primary biometric repository for DHS and other Federal 
agencies that are vital to our national security. OBIM operates a 
database of more than 225 million unique identities that include 
fingerprint-based biometrics, as well as face and iris holdings that 
allow it to provide biometric matching, storing, and sharing services 
across the U.S. Government.
  It processes more than 300,000 daily biometric transactions, 
reviewing more than 360 known or suspected terrorist records for 
resolution on a daily basis.
  OBIM also supports DHS's efforts to complete a biometric exit 
program. Putting this biometric exit system in place is, as the 9/11 
Commission noted, ``an essential investment in our national security.'' 
More than 15 years later, large numbers of foreign nationals continue 
to overstay their visas or disappear into the United States, just as 
four of the 9/11 hijackers did.
  Congress has passed multiple laws since 2004 mandating the creation 
of the biometric exit system, though we are still waiting for it to 
come to fruition.
  OBIM is responsible for a key element of our national security, but 
has not been authorized by statute. This bill, the Office of Biometric 
Identity Management Authorization Act of 2018, will finally codify this 
into law.
  In the current high-risk threat environment, it is vital that we 
place greater emphasis on biometric identity technology as a 
counterterrorism tool and provide OBIM with the resources necessary to 
further protect the homeland in the face of an evolving threat.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join 
me in supporting this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5206, the OBIM Authorization 
Act of 2018.
  First, I want to begin by commending the gentlewoman from Arizona for 
sponsoring this piece of legislation. It is very thoughtful and 
certainly very timely.
  Of course, I am not surprised that she would come up with such a 
great idea, knowing that she originally hails from Rhode Island and 
comes from great roots. So I am not surprised that she would come up 
with a great idea like this.
  Mr. Speaker, for the past decade, the Department of Homeland Security 
has collected biometric data from foreign nationals and U.S. citizens 
for a wide range of purposes, including counterterrorism, border 
security, credentialing, national security, and public safety.
  Over that time, the Office of Biometric Identity Management, or OBIM, 
has become a repository for more than 240 million biometrics, such as 
fingerprints and photographs collected by DHS. OBIM is charged with 
analyzing biometric data, sending updates to critical terror watch 
lists, and sharing information with trusted partners inside and outside 
the Federal Government to support law enforcement, public safety, 
national security, and homeland security.
  Given the sensitivity of this type of biometric data and its 
increasing integration into security programs, I am pleased that H.R. 
5206 requires this office to comply with privacy policies and 
procedures established by the DHS privacy officer.
  This is a good bipartisan bill.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5206 authorizes the department's existing Office of 
Biometric Identity Management, which is charged with collecting and 
using biometric data to enhance DHS's counterterrorism, border 
security, and national security operations.
  Increasingly, Federal agencies see the value of adopting biometrics 
as an additional security measure. As more and more Federal programs 
make use of such personal data, it is absolutely vital that privacy be 
baked in from the start. Importantly, H.R. 5206 requires a privacy-
forward approach to all that OBIM does.
  For these reasons, I support this measure. This is a good, bipartisan 
bill, and, again, I commend the gentlewoman from Rhode Island, who is 
now from Arizona, for sponsoring this bill and getting it through 
committee.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill as well, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague from Rhode Island's support on 
this bill and our longstanding relationship that we had since we grew 
up in a similar neighborhood before I fell in love with Arizona and 
never wanted to see another winter again. But anyway, I digress.
  Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support this bill, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. McSally) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 5206, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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