H. Res. 851 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
November 17, 2009. 
Whereas the Department of Justice’s Law Enforcement As-
sistance Administration created SEARCH in 1969 as a 
10-State project to demonstrate whether it was feasible 
to exchange criminal history records on an automated 
and nationwide basis; 
Whereas SEARCH not only demonstrated the feasibility of 
an automated nationwide system of sharing criminal 
records, but also, through partnership with the Depart-
ment of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 
State agencies and other organizations, helped to estab-
lish the national criminal history record information sys-
tem; 
Whereas SEARCH is a nonprofit organization created by and 
for the States, governed by a Membership Group com-
prised of one gubernatorial appointee from each of the 
States and territories; 
Whereas SEARCH’s guiding vision is to ensure ‘‘Accurate 
and timely information, supported by well-deployed infor-
mation and identification technology, enables the justice 
and public safety decision-maker to administer justice in 
a manner that promotes individual rights and public safe-
ty’’;
•HRES 851 EH 
Whereas SEARCH provides training and technical assistance 
to help the criminal justice community combat high-tech-
nology crimes, gather valuable information in investiga-
tions, and link the Nation’s law enforcement agencies 
through policy and technical solutions; 
Whereas SEARCH helps agencies effectively implement infor-
mation sharing technology to make accurate, more in-
formed, immediate, and appropriately secured decisions 
about criminal justice and security issues, and to admin-
ister justice in an efficient and effective manner; 
Whereas SEARCH has pioneered the development of both 
technology and policy solutions for justice implementation 
of biometric technologies, thereby enabling electronic fin-
gerprints to become a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective 
identification authentication process and further sup-
porting information sharing and collaboration among and 
between agencies; 
Whereas SEARCH has made a profound contribution, work-
ing with the Department of Justice, to develop successive 
generations of privacy and security policies that are now 
reflected in both Department of Justice regulations and 
Federal legislation; 
Whereas SEARCH has played a critical role in the develop-
ment of systems such as the Interstate Identification 
Index (III), the National Instant Criminal Background 
Check System (NICS), commonly called the Brady check 
system, the National Fingerprint File (NFF), the Inte-
grated Automated Fingerprint Identification System 
(IAFIS), and key standards for information sharing and 
interoperability, such as the National Information Ex-
change Model (NIEM);
•HRES 851 EH 
Whereas SEARCH’s work with the Departments of Justice 
and Homeland Security helps the Nation’s justice and 
public safety communities plan, develop, implement, test, 
and manage interoperable communications solutions; and 
Whereas SEARCH has had many accomplishments over its 
40-year history to help practitioners in criminal justice, 
public safety, and first response use information to plan 
for, predict, prevent, and interdict criminal events, ter-
rorism, and disasters: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes 
and honors SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice 
Information and Statistics, on the occasion of its 40th anni-
versary for accomplishments to promote information sharing 
and identification solutions for first responders and law en-
forcement officers, and for the protection of privacy and citi-
zens’ rights. 
Attest: 
Clerk.