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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 4806 (110th)

Reducing Over-Classification Act of 2008

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

18 December 2007

Last action

31 July 2008 · Introduced

Status

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Sponsors

Rep. Harman, Jane [D-CA-36], NITA LOWEY, JAMES LANGEVIN, Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA], Del. Christensen, Donna M. [D-VI-At Large], Ed Perlmutter, Rep. Sanchez, Loretta [D-CA-46], Zoe Lofgren, Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Dicks, Norman D. [D-WA-6], Rep. Carney, Christopher P. [D-PA-10], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Sheila Jackson Lee, Rep. Etheridge, Bob [D-NC-2]

Subjects

Environment

Source updated

9 July 2026

Environment

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Summary

Reducing Over-Classification Act of 2007 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and implement a Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-wide strategy to prevent the over-classification of information within the scope of the information sharing environment established under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. Requires the strategy to foster sharing of homeland security, terrorism, and weapons of mass destruction information at DHS and to include: (1) requirements governing the classification of information, including requiring that information created by DHS be initially prepared in unclassified form before any version is created in classified form; (2) a sensitive and shared information program for the creation and sharing of unclassified information of a sensitive nature; (3) a system of incentives and disincentives to encourage DHS personnel to use classified and sensitive and shared information program markings properly; (4) a training program for DHS employees and contractors on classification markings, challenges, and declassification requests; (5) specified policies and procedures to encourage information to be provided in an unclassified form, with classified information at the beginning, or with a sensitive and shared marking; (6) a mechanism to audit compliance with classification requirements; (7) the creation of an independent DHS classification review board; and (8) an assessment of technologies to electronically identify classification employees and track documents. Directs the DHS Inspector General to conduct an annual audit of strategy implementation.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 18 December 2007

    Introduced

    Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 18 December 2007

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2611)

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 18 December 2007

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 18 December 2007

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  5. 31 January 2008

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment.

    Source: Committee

  6. 11 June 2008

    Committee

    Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Unanimous Consent .

    Source: Committee

  7. 11 June 2008

    Committee

    Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

  8. 26 June 2008

    Reported

    Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

    Source: Committee

  9. 26 June 2008

    Committee

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

  10. 24 July 2008

    Calendars

    Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 495.

    Source: Calendars

  11. 24 July 2008

    Reported

    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 110-776.

    Source: Committee

  12. 24 July 2008

    Reported

    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 110-776.

    Source: Committee

  13. 29 July 2008

    Floor

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7183-7186)

    Source: Floor

  14. 29 July 2008

    Floor

    At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Bilirakis objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.

    Source: Floor

  15. 29 July 2008

    Floor

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4806.

    Source: Floor

  16. 29 July 2008

    Floor

    Ms. Harman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

    Source: Floor

  17. 30 July 2008

    Passed

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

    Source: Floor

  18. 30 July 2008

    Passed

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR 7/29/2008 H7183-7184)

    Source: Floor

  19. 30 July 2008

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR 7/29/2008 H7183-7184)

    Source: Floor

  20. 30 July 2008

    Floor

    Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7596)

    Source: Floor

  21. 31 July 2008

    Introduced

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

    Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

11 official files

Referred in Senate (text)

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Sponsors

Related records

Sources

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