Title: Office of Biometric Identity Management Authorization Act of 2018
Policy area: Emergency Management

Summary:
Office of Biometric Identity Management Authorization Act of 2018 or the OBIM Authorization Act of 2018
This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the Office of Biometric Identity Management, which shall be administered by a director with significant management experience and experience in biometrics and identity management. The director shall have specified duties, including leading DHS's biometric identity services to support anti-terrorism, counterterrorism, border security, credentialing, national security, and public safety and establishing a DHS-wide research and development program.
DHS may not transfer the location or reporting structure of the office to any DHS component.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5206 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5206

 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Office of 
         Biometric Identity Management, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 7, 2018

  Ms. McSally (for herself, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Higgins of 
  Louisiana, and Mr. McCaul) introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Office of 
         Biometric Identity Management, and for other purposes.

    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 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 matching, storing, sharing, and analyzing 
                biometric 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 sole 
                biometric repository;
                    ``(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) in collaboration with the Under Secretary for 
                Science and Technology, establish a Department-wide 
                research and development program to support efforts in 
                assessment, development, and exploration of biometric 
                advancements and emerging technologies;
                    ``(I) oversee Department-wide standards for 
                biometric conformity, and work to make such standards 
                Government-wide;
                    ``(J) 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 agencies to 
                support immigration, law enforcement, national 
                security, and public safety missions;
                    ``(K) maximize interoperability with other Federal, 
                State, local, and international biometric systems, as 
                appropriate; and
                    ``(L) carry out the 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) Transfer Limitation.--The Secretary of Homeland Security may 
not transfer the location or reporting structure of the Office of 
Biometric Identity Management (established pursuant to section 710 of 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by subsection (a) of this 
section) to any component of the Department of Homeland Security.
    (c) 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.''.
                                 <all>