H.R. 1729: OBIM Authorization Act of 2019
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H.R. 1729: OBIM Authorization Act of 2019
116th Congress · introduced 2019-03-13 · Emergency Management · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2019-03-13 · official record
- Who proposed it: Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
OBIM Authorization Act of 2019
Plain summary
Office of Biometric Identity Management Authorization Act of 2019 or the OBIM Authorization Act of 2019 This bill establishes within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the Office of Biometric Identity Management Directorate, which shall be administered by a director with significant management experience and experience in biometrics and identity management. The director shall have specified duties, including leading DHS's biometric identity services to support efforts and activities relating to anti-terrorism, counterterrorism, border security, credentialing, national security, and public safety; managing the operation of DHS's primary biometric repository and identification system; maximizing interoperability with other federal, state, local, and foreign biometric systems; and ensuring the activities of the office are carried out in compliance with the policies and procedures established by the Privacy Officer.
Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
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A “Yea” vote
If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.
A “Nay” vote
If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.
PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).
What does this mean? (plain words)
Official text
OBIM Authorization Act of 2019
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3] · 0 cosponsors
Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.
Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3] reported raising $904,294 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.
No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.
Words on this page, explained (3)
- Authorization
- A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
- Bill
- A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
- Securities
- Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr1729.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>
Record fed-us-cong116-hr1729 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116