Richard K. Armey: “I am proud that the House is today sending H.R. 5005, the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to the President. It is an…”

“I am proud that the House is today sending H.R. 5005, the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to the President. It is an important step forward in the defense of the Nation. I would like to take this opportunity to discuss a few items of interest in the bill as amended by the Senate. First, Mr. Speaker, I would like to address the privacy concerns that have been raised recently about provisions in the Homeland Security bill. Let me be clear. This bill does not in any way authorize the Department of Defense program known as 'Total Information Awareness.' It does not authorize, fund or move into the Department anything like it. In fact, this bill provides unique statutory protections that will ensure the Department of Homeland Security could never undertake such a program. Section 892 of our bill prohibits the sharing of any information that would undermine the statutory and constitutional protections of citizens. We also create a privacy officer, the first ever established by statute, whose sole mission will be to ensure that programs like TIA never get off the ground in this Department. Our bill contains provisions that discontinue two programs that raise the very concerns that TIA has raised. We stop Operation TIPS, and ensure that nobody will use this bill as an excuse to implement a National ID card. So the legislative intent of this bill is unmistakable. This department must protect the civil liberties that we all cherish.”