Rep. Barletta bill to improve law enforcement access to intelligence passes committee

A bill that requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to maintain an inventory of all sensitive compartmented information facilities (SCIFs) was recently passed by the House Committee on Homeland Security.

The bill, titled the DHS Classified Facility Inventory Act, was authored by U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA).

The legislation stems from a recent report from the Inspectors General of the Intelligence Community, DHS, and the Department of Justice (DoJ) which stated that DHS personnel lacked sufficient access to SCIFs when information is shared in the field, despite most counterterrorism information being classified at the Top Secret level. Barletta’s legislation addresses those issues by ensuring that every DHS-certified SCIF location is known and accessible to DHS personnel in the field.

The bill also seeks to address wasteful spending by requiring DHS to maintain a list of current SCIFs to ensure that the department doesn’t unnecessarily purchase new facility locations in areas already covered by existing SCIFs.

“As a former mayor, I understand that our local law enforcement officers are the first line of defense against terrorism,” Barletta said. “We need to make sure they are getting all of the information they need to keep us safe in a secure and timely manner. This bill eliminates unnecessary roadblocks that could prevent or delay efforts to protect our communities.”

The legislation will act as a compliment to another bill introduced by Barletta, the Fusion Center Enhancement Act, which clarifies and enhances the working relationship of DHS and national fusion centers. Each fusion center serves as a collaborative meeting point for two or more agencies, including federal, state, and local entities.