For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 27, 2004
Homeland Security Presidential Directive/Hspd-11
Subject: Comprehensive Terrorist-Related Screening Procedures
(1) In order more effectively to detect and interdict individuals
known or reasonably suspected to be or have been engaged in conduct
constituting, in preparation for, in aid of, or related to terrorism
("suspected terrorists") and terrorist activities, it is the policy of
the United States to:
(a) enhance terrorist-related screening (as defined below)
through comprehensive, coordinated procedures that detect, identify, track, and interdict people, cargo, conveyances, and other entities and objects that pose a threat to homeland security, and to do so in a manner that safeguards legal rights, including freedoms, civil liberties, and information privacy guaranteed by Federal law, and builds upon existing risk assess-ment capabilities while facilitating the efficient movement of people, cargo, conveyances, and other potentially affected activities in commerce; and
(b) implement a coordinated and comprehensive approach to terrorist-related screening -- in immigration, law enforcement, intelligence, counterintelligence, and protection of the border, transportation systems, and critical infrastructure -- that supports homeland security, at home and abroad.
(2) This directive builds upon HSPD-6, "Integration and Use of
Screening Information to Protect Against Terrorism." The Terrorist
Screening Center (TSC), which was established and is administered by
the Attorney General pursuant to HSPD-6, enables Government officials
to check individuals against a consolidated Terrorist Screening Center
Database. Other screening activities underway within the Terrorist
Threat Integration Center (TTIC) and the Department of Homeland
Security further strengthen the ability of the United States Government
to protect the people, property, and territory of the United States
against acts of terrorism.
(3) In this directive, the term "terrorist-related screening"
means the collection, analysis, dissemination, and use of information
related to people, cargo, conveyances, and other entities and objects
that pose a threat to homeland security. Terrorist-related screening
also includes risk assessment, inspection, and credentialing.
(4) Not later than 75 days after the date of this directive, the
Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Attorney
General, the Secretaries of State, Defense, Transportation, Energy,
Health and Human Services, Commerce, and Agriculture, the Directors of
Central Intelligence and the Office of Management and Budget, and the
heads of other appropriate Federal departments and agencies, shall
submit to me, through the Assistant to the President for Homeland
Security, a report setting forth plans and progress in the
implementation of this directive, including as further described in
sections 5 and 6 of this directive.
(5) The report shall outline a strategy to enhance the
effectiveness of terrorist-related screening activities, in accordance
with the policy set forth in section 1 of this directive, by developing
comprehensive, coordinated, systematic terrorist-related screening
procedures and capabilities that also take into account the need to:
(a) maintain no less than current levels of security created by existing screening and protective measures;
(b) encourage innovations that exceed established standards;
(c) ensure sufficient flexibility to respond rapidly to changing threats and priorities;
(d) permit flexibility to incorporate advancements into screening applications and technology rapidly;
(e) incorporate security features, including unpredictability,
that resist circumvention to the greatest extent possible;
(f) build upon existing systems and best practices and, where appropriate, integrate, consolidate, or eliminate duplicative systems used for terrorist-related screening;
(g) facilitate legitimate trade and travel, both domestically and internationally;
(h) limit delays caused by screening procedures that adversely impact foreign relations, or economic, commercial, or scientific interests of the United States; and
(i) enhance information flow between various screening programs.
(6) The report shall also include the following:
(a) the purposes for which individuals will undergo terrorist-related screening;
(b) a description of the screening opportunities to which terrorist-related screening will be applied;
(c) the information individuals must present, including, as appropriate, the type of biometric identifier or other form of identification or identifying information to be presented, at particular screening opportunities;
(d) mechanisms to protect data, including during transfer of information;
(e) mechanisms to address data inaccuracies, including names inaccurately contained in the terrorist screening data consolidated pursuant to HSPD-6;
(f) the procedures and frequency for screening people, cargo, and conveyances;
(g) protocols to support consistent risk assessment and
inspection procedures;
(h) the skills and training required for the screeners at
screening opportunities;
(i) the hierarchy of consequences that should occur if a risk indicator is generated as a result of a screening opportunity;
(j) mechanisms for sharing information among screeners and all relevant Government agencies, including results of screening and new information acquired regarding suspected terrorists between screening opportunities;
(k) recommended research and development on technologies designed to enhance screening effectiveness and further protect privacy interests; and
(l) a plan for incorporating known traveler programs into the screening procedures, where appropriate.
(7) Not later than 90 days after the date of this directive, the
Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the heads of the
Federal departments and agencies listed in section 4 of this directive,
shall also provide to me, through the Assistant to the President for
Homeland Security and the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget, a prioritized investment and imple-menta-tion plan for a
systematic approach to terrorist-related screening that optimizes
detection and interdiction of suspected terrorists and terrorist
activities. The plan shall describe the scope, governance, principles,
outcomes, milestones, training objectives, metrics, costs, and schedule
of activities to implement the policy set forth in section 1 of this
directive. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall further provide a
report on the status of the implementation of the plan to me through
the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security 6 months after the
date of this directive and shall thereafter report to me on such
progress or any recommended changes from time to time as appropriate.
(8) In order to ensure comprehensive and coordinated
terrorist-related screening procedures, the implementation of this
directive shall be consistent with Government-wide efforts to improve
information sharing. Additionally, the reports and plan required under
sections 4 and 7 of this directive shall inform development of
Government-wide information sharing improvements.
(9) This directive does not alter existing authorities or
responsibilities of department and agency heads including to carry out
operational activities or provide or receive information. This
directive is intended only to improve the internal management of the
executive branch of the Federal Government, and it is not intended to,
and does not, create any right or benefit enforceable at law or in
equity by any party against the United States, its departments,
agencies, entities, officers, employees, or agents, or any other
person.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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