Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Authorization Act

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make certain improvements in the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Authorization Act 2. Officer for civil rights and civil liberties (a) In general Section 705 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 345 (1) in the section heading, by striking Establishment of (2) by striking subsections (a) and (b) and inserting the following new subsections: (a) In general There is established within the Department an Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. The head of such Office is the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (referred to in this section as the Officer (b) Responsibilities The Officer shall carry out the following responsibilities: (1) Oversee compliance with constitutional, statutory, regulatory, policy, and other requirements relating to the civil rights and civil liberties of individuals affected by the programs and activities of the Department. (2) Integrate civil rights and civil liberties protections into all programs and activities of the Department. (3) Conduct civil rights and civil liberties impact assessments, including, as appropriate, prior to the implementation of new Department regulations, initiatives, programs, or policies. (4) Conduct periodic reviews and assessments of policies, procedures, and activities of the Department relating to civil rights and civil liberties, including reviews initiated by the Officer. (5) Provide policy advice, recommendations, and other technical assistance relating to civil rights and civil liberties to the Secretary and to heads of components, directorates, and offices and other personnel within the Department. (6) Review, assess, and investigate complaints, including complaints filed by members of the public, and information indicating possible abuses of civil rights or civil liberties at the Department, unless the Inspector General of the Department determines that any such complaint should be investigated by the Inspector General. (7) As the Officer determines necessary, initiate reviews, investigations, and assessments of the administration of the programs and activities of the Department relating to civil rights and civil liberties. (8) Coordinate with the Privacy Officer to ensure that— (A) programs, policies, and procedures involving civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy considerations are addressed in an integrated and comprehensive manner; and (B) Congress receives appropriate reports regarding such programs, policies, and procedures. (9) Lead the equal employment opportunity programs of the Department, including complaint management and adjudication, workforce diversity, and promotion of the merit system principles. (10) On a semi-annual basis, make publicly available through accessible communications channels, including the website of the Department— (A) information on the responsibilities and functions of, and how to contact, the Office; (B) summaries of the investigations carried out pursuant to paragraph (6) that result in final recommendations that are issued by the Officer; and (C) summaries of impact assessments carried out pursuant to paragraph (3) or (7) that are issued by the Officer. (11) Engage with individuals and communities whose civil rights and civil liberties may be affected by programs and activities of the Department, including by informing such individuals and communities about report and redress processes and advising the Secretary and heads of components, directorates, and offices and other personnel within the Department of concerns raised by such individuals and communities. (12) Lead the Language Access Program for the Department to ensure the Department can effectively communicate with all individuals impacted by programs and activities of the Department, including those with limited English proficiency. (c) Transparency (1) Complaints In the case of a complaint made concerning allegations of abuses of civil rights and civil liberties under paragraph (6) of subsection (b), the Officer shall— (A) provide to the individual who made the complaint notice of the receipt of such complaint within 30 days of receiving the complaint; and (B) inform the complainant of the determination of the Officer regarding the initiation of a review, assessment, or investigation within the Office, a referral to the Inspector General of the Department, or any other action taken. (2) Investigations In the case of an investigation initiated by the Officer pursuant to paragraph (6) or (7) of subsection (b) in which findings or recommendations are issued, the Officer— (A) shall, on a semi-annual basis, make publicly available through accessible communications channels, including the website of the Department— (i) the findings and recommendations of the Officer, if any; and (ii) a summary of the investigations that result in final recommendations that are issued by the Officer; and (B) shall not include in such findings, recommendations, or summary any personally identifiable information related to any individual involved in such investigation. (3) Submittal to heads of operational components The Officer shall transmit a copy of each summary produced under paragraph (2) to the Secretary and to the head of each relevant operational component of the Department. (4) Reports to congress Upon the conclusion of any investigation conducted by the Officer under paragraph (6) or (7) of subsection (b) in which findings or recommendations are issued, the Officer shall submit to Congress a report on the investigation, which shall be prepared and submitted without any prior comment or amendment by the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, or any other officer or employee of the Department or the Office of Management and Budget, unless the Officer seeks such comment. (d) Component civil rights and civil liberties officer The head of each of the operational components of the Department, in consultation with the Officer, shall designate a career appointee (as such term is defined in section 3132 of title 5, United States Code) from such component as the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of that component. The Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of each such component shall coordinate with and provide information to the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the Department on matters related to civil rights and civil liberties within the component. (e) Access to information The Officer— (1) shall have access in a timely manner to all records, reports, audits, reviews, documents, papers, recommendations, and other materials available to the Department that relate to programs and operations with respect to the responsibilities of the Officer under subsection (b); and (2) may, to the extent the Officer determines necessary, and subject to the approval of the Secretary, administer to or take from any person an oath, affirmation, or affidavit, whenever necessary in the performance of the responsibilities of the Officer under this section. (f) Annual report Not later than March 31 of each year, the Officer shall submit to the appropriate committees and subcommittees of Congress a report on the implementation of this section during the year preceding the year during which the report is submitted. Each such report shall include, for the year covered by the report— (1) a list of Department programs and activities for which civil rights and civil liberties impact assessments were conducted, or policy advice, recommendations, or other technical assistance was provided; (2) a list of Department programs and activities relating to civil rights and civil liberties that have not had impact assessments conducted during the 5-year period ending on the date of enactment of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Authorization Act; (3) an assessment of the efforts of the Department through the Language Access Program to effectively communicate with all individuals impacted by programs and activities of the Department, including those with limited English proficiency; (4) a summary of investigations resulting in recommendations issued under paragraph (6) or (7) of subsection (b) by the Officer to the Secretary or the head of a component, directorate, or office, together with information on the status of the component, directorate, or office’s implementation of such recommendations; (5) information on the diversity and equal employment opportunity activities of the Department, including information on complaint management and adjudication of equal employment opportunity complaints and efforts to ensure compliance throughout the Department with equal employment opportunity requirements; (6) a description of any efforts to engage with individuals and communities whose civil rights and civil liberties may be affected by activities carried out by the Department, including public meetings; and (7) information on total staffing for the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, including— (A) the number of full-time, part-time and contract support personnel; and (B) information on the number of employees whose primary responsibilities include supporting the Officer in carrying out paragraph (9) of subsection (b). . (b) Clerical amendment The item relating to section 705 in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended to read as follows: Sec. 705. Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. . (c) Reporting to Congress Section 1062(f)(1)(A)(i) of the National Security Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 ( 42 U.S.C. 2000ee–1(f)(1)(A)(i) the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives 3. Comptroller general review Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation of subsection (b)(11) of section 705 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 345

Summary: Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Authorization Act This bill makes changes to the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The bill expands the duties of the CRCL to include integrating civil rights and civil liberties protections into all DHS programs and activities; conducting civil rights and civil liberties impact assessments; initiating reviews, assessments, and investigations of the administration of DHS programs and activities; leading the equal employment opportunity programs of DHS; engaging with individuals and communities whose civil rights and civil liberties may be affected by DHS programs and activities; and leading the language access program for DHS to ensure that DHS can effectively communicate with all individuals impacted by its programs and activities. The bill requires each operational component of DHS to designate an Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to report to the CRCL. The CRCL must make certain information regarding its investigations publicly available. The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress within two years of this bill's enactment.