HSPD-24 calls for coordinated use of biometrics among federal agencies
New directive will standardize how the federal government shares biometrics and other biographical information
President George Bush wants federal agencies to coordinate the use of biometrics to screen and identify individuals. Homeland Security Presidential Directive 24 is the new order that will standardize how the federal government shares biometrics and other biographical information. “Through integrated processes and interoperable systems, agencies shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, make available to other agencies all biometric and associated biographic and contextual information associated with persons for whom there is an articulable and reasonable basis for suspicion that they pose a threat to national security,” the directive states. The directive states that the government has a screening process in place to try and identify known and suspected terrorists. “The executive branch shall build upon this success, in accordance with this directive, by enhancing its capability to collect, store, use, analyze, and share biometrics to identify and screen known and suspected terrorists and other persons who may pose a threat to national security.”
HSPD-24 does not change any existing laws or enable the government to collect biometrics if they wouldn’t have in the past. “This directive requires agencies to use, in a more coordinated and efficient manner, all biometric information associated with persons who may pose a threat to national security, consistent with applicable law, including those laws relating to privacy and confidentiality of personal data,” the directive states. Within ninety days the president wants a plan on how and when it can implement an enhanced screening process using biometrics. The U.S. attorney general will be leading the effort. The HSPD also calls for new categories of individuals who may be a threat to national security and how to use biometrics to identify and screen those individuals. Within a year the HSPD calls for various agency heads to prepare a report on the progress of the implementation of the directive.
