Letter to Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State, Re: Inspector General Report on Breach of Passport Files
Letter
Letter to Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State, Re: Inspector General Report on Breach of Passport Files
July 3, 2008
The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Madam Secretary:
Today the Office of Inspector General released its audit report regarding controls on access to passport records in a State Department system known as the "Passport Information Electronic Records System," or PIERS. This report stemmed from the revelations last March that several Department employees and contractors improperly accessed the passport application files of Senators Clinton, McCain and Obama.
The report paints a very disturbing picture: the State Department has failed to properly protect the private information of over 100 million passport holders from unauthorized access. To state it plainly, it appears to be a system-wide failure on the part of several bureaus in the Department. I urge you to conduct a management review to determine the causes of this failure, which were not within the scope of the Inspector General audit.
The report indicates that the Department has already taken several steps to act on the recommendations of the Inspector General. I commend you for that, and urge you to take all appropriate measures to promptly implement these recommendations. If additional resources are needed, I urge you to consider a budget amendment, or reprogramming, to meet these requirements.
It bears emphasis that the report focused only on one passport records system, out of several such systems in the Department of State. Accordingly, I believe it is critically important that the Department focus particular attention and energy on the recommendation of the Inspector General to "conduct the necessary vulnerability and risk assessments of all passport systems (Recommendation 19)" and report the results within 120 days. I request that the Committee also be informed of the results of this review.
I would appreciate receiving a progress report from the Department on the implementation of the remaining recommendations within 90 days.
Sincerely,
Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
Chairman
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