Department of Homeland Security Chief Data Officer Authorization Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6447) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the position of Chief Data Officer of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes, as amended.

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Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6447, the Department of Homeland Security Chief Data Officer Authorization Act, sponsored by my colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter).

In today's data-driven world, organizations like the Department of Homeland Security generate, collect, and maintain enormous quantities of data in carrying out their day-to-day operations. Unfortunately, data continues to be underutilized as an asset by organizations, especially in the Federal Government, largely as a result of poor internal data management and governance practices.

To address these shortcomings, the private sector and Federal, State, and local entities have increasingly begun appointing the position of chief data officer to their management teams. Such a position would work to improve data management and governance at an organization in order to format data for better analysis and use.

The work conducted by chief data officers can help organizations achieve operational efficiencies, improve policy insight and decisionmaking, achieve data interoperability across legacy IT systems, and increase transparency.

To date, several entities within Homeland Security, including Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, have designated chief data officers. Recognizing this growing trend, H.R. 6447 authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with Homeland Security's chief information officer, to designate a Homeland Security- wide chief data officer.

The chief data officer is tasked with overseeing policies to manage, organize, and format Homeland Security data in order to better carry out data analysis for use in departmental operations.

Additionally, H.R. 6447 requires the heads of all Homeland Security operational components, in consultation with the chief data officer and component chief information officers, to appoint component-level chief data officers.

Homeland Security is charged with the responsibility of keeping our homeland and its citizens safe. As such, it is imperative that Homeland Security possess the capability and capacity and tools to make informed decisions in today's rapidly evolving threat environment. The appointment of chief data officers at the department and its components is integral to providing Homeland Security with the tools to make data- driven decisions in the 21st century.

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Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague and friend from New Jersey. It is always a pleasure to work on bills with her because there is always very good bipartisan spirit. I think that is something that is lost often in this Chamber.

I am happy to support this bill. It is commonsense legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

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