A House panel responsible for overseeing the execution of Department of Homeland Security activities proposed legislation to increase DHS transparency and accountability.
The House Homeland Security Committee said Friday the DHS Reform Act of 2020 would restrict the appointment of interim officials in order to ensure leadership continuity and create an associate secretary position to manage law enforcement functions at the department.
"For DHS to effectively secure the nation from the diverse threats that it faces, Americans must have confidence that the Department is operating in accordance with the law and respects constitutional protections," said Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.
The bill would also authorize a five-year term for the department's management undersecretary and mandate the formation of a rotational program between the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Coast Guard Academy.
Twelve Democratic House lawmakers co-sponsored the legislation.