Congressman Biggs and Senator Wyden Praise DOJ OIG’s Release of Data on Hemisphere Surveillance Program

This week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released previously redacted information relating to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) Hemisphere Project. DOJ OIG released the information in response to a May 2024 letter from Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). The lawmakers’ letter requested that DOJ OIG publicly release unclassified information contained in their March 2019 report on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Use of Administrative Subpoenas to Collect or Exploit Bulk Data.

Last year, the House Oversight Committee considered legislation to reauthorize the ONDCP. The bill included a number of provisions negotiated by Congressman Biggs that were designed to improve Congressional oversight of ONDCP funded programs, and to protect Americans’ privacy. The release of this information underscores the need for similar legislative reforms to be enacted across government programs.

Additionally, the ONDCP informed Senator Wyden that federal funding for Hemisphere was ended as of September 30, 2024, and the program has been shut down.

Congressman Biggs and Senator Wyden have led bipartisan efforts to protect Americans’ privacy and issued the following statement on DOJ OIG’s data release:

“This report contains information that the public has a right to see. The American people demand transparency from their government, and Congress must work to ensure that the federal government is accountable to its citizens. We’re thankful to DOJ OIG for their work to make new information public, and we look forward to further cooperation in the interest of American citizens.”