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Potomac Institute Fellow Dan Gallington Testifies Before the HPSCI 11 April, 2003 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Potomac Institute Fellow Dan Gallington Testifies Before the This past Wednesday, April 9th, Dan Gallington, project director for the Potomac Institute’s Project Guardian, testified before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The public hearing was styled, “Securing Freedom and the Nation: Collecting Intelligence Under the Law.” The Committee is exploring the balance between security and protecting the freedoms and rights granted in the constitution, in the conduct of United States intelligence activities. This hearing was the first of its kind, in a succession of hearings to come, to explore this ever-important timely topic and was held on the initiative of Chairman Porter Goss and Vice Chairman Jane Harmon. The Intelligence Committee rarely meets in open session. Mr. Gallington spoke about Project Guardian and the need for a fair and balanced review of the technology that may ultimately save lives. Speaking from his own experience in the oversight of intelligence activities, he made several key points regarding data mining and civil rights: Mr. Gallington suggested that the government review the ways the intelligence community has, for many years, responsibly handled “U.S. person” information, and use that review to develop models to oversight new information technologies. There are significant differences between the technology to collect information, and the authority to collect it. All information collection regimes need to be policed, and audit trails need to be created for these new information technologies to be effective and to protect the privacy of individuals. The generalized analysis of data is far different than the specific targeting of a person or activity; therefore it is very important to closely monitor how data is associated with an identity. Other panelists included Kate Martin, Director of the Center for National Security Studies; Tim Edgar, Legislative Counsel for National Security, Terrorism and Immigration at the American Civil Liberties Union; Paul Rosenzweig, Senior Legal Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation; and Brian Hook, an Associate at Hogan & Hartson. Gallington's Prepared Testimony ### The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies is an independent, 501(c)(3), not-for-profit public policy research institute, and is dedicated to the development and implementation of policies that advocate and manage the increasing role of science and technology in our evolving world. The Potomac Institute fiercely maintains objectivity and credibility, remaining independent of any federal or state agency, and owing no special allegiance to any single political party or private concern.
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