Rep. Hernández Secures First Committee Passage of Legislation in Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, Pablo José Hernández, announced today that his bipartisan legislation, the Strengthening Oversight of DHS Intelligence Act (H.R. 2261), has unanimously passed the House Committee on Homeland Security. This marks a major milestone in Hernández’s first year in Congress, underscoring his commitment to defending Puerto Ricans’ civil liberties while ensuring responsible national security practices.

“I’m very proud that my bill passed the Homeland Security Committee to ensure DHS does not infringe upon the rights of Puerto Ricans and Americans everywhere,” said Hernández, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. “This legislation establishes strong safeguards for  intelligence activities to be carried out responsibly and always respecting our fundamental liberties. I thank Ranking Member Thompson and Congressman Evans for their support, and I will keep working across party lines to bring this bill to the House floor for a vote. ”

Since taking office in January, Hernández has filed more original legislation and delivered more speeches on the House floor than any of his recent predecessors to date. Today’s Committee approval follows Hernández’s efforts in moving one of his bills toward enactment, a milestone that highlights his effectiveness as Resident Commissioner and marks a feat rarely achieved by a Freshman House member.

Cosponsoring Hernández’s bipartisan bill, which now awaits consideration by the full House of Representatives, are the top Democrat on the Committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), and Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Co.).

“I am pleased that the Committee passed Mr. Hernandez’s bill to require DHS to review all intelligence products to ensure they do not infringe upon Americans’ constitutional rights,” said Ranking Member Bennie Thompson. “This is a commonsense bill offered by my colleague and I thank him for introducing it. I look forward to its consideration by the House.”

As the federal agency that interacts with more U.S. citizens than any other, intelligence assessments must be reviewed to ensure the protection of U.S. citizens’ privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties before it is shared with such partners.

The Strengthening Oversight of DHS Intelligence Act directly addresses these concerns by:

• Mandating that all DHS intelligence products undergo review by the DHS Chief Privacy Officer and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to ensure compliance with constitutional protections.
• Codifying required training for senior DHS intelligence personnel on privacy rights, civil rights, and civil liberties safeguards.

Click HERE to watch the Resident Commissioner’s remarks and HERE to view legislative text.

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