Homeland Security's New Rules on Electronic Data Collection Rile Businesses

by USA Today

The Department of Homeland Security will collect millions of new electronic records about private planes, imported cargo, foreign visitors and federal contractors as part of an array of controversial last-minute security policies imposed by the Bush administration.

Businesses say the policies are costly, and worry that sensitive information could be released if a database is lost or stolen. Some charge the Homeland Security Department with rushing to impose policies and ignoring business concerns.

"Industry keeps reaching out to (them), but our comments are continually dismissed," said Catherine Robinson, director of high-tech trade policy for the National Association of Manufacturers trade group, which represents 14,000 companies.

Homeland Security spokeswoman Amy Kudwa said that by collecting information electronically, the department can run security checks more quickly than with paper forms, and could flag people or cargo that should be barred from the USA. Some changes have been in the works for more than a year.

There has been a lot of opposition. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and four other groups have sued to block a policy requiring federal contractors to send information about employees electronically to the department to verify that they can work legally in the USA.

The policy takes effect Jan. 15 and applies to employees working on a federal contract worth more than $100,000. ....