Page 16 - Financial Report 2020

PRIVACY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES OVERSIGHT BOARD

Performance Overview

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES TO ACHIEVE OUR STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

AGENCY SIZE AND WORKFORCE

PCLOB is a small agency, consisting of the agency. As funds have allowed each
less than 40 full-time employees. Due to year, the agency has sought to grow its
its small size, the agency must achieve staff by recruiting skilled professionals
its mission and conduct operations with with backgrounds in intelligence,
limited resources. One way the Board counterterrorism, privacy and civil
has compensated for its small size is by liberties, oversight and investigations,
using shared-service providers for federal accounting, and information
several key functions. The continued technology. Steadily over the years, the
use of shared services, however, does agency has been able to expand to
depend on the agency receiving two- nearly its full capacity as of the end of
year appropriations and requires FY 2020.
additional coordination with and
oversight by PCLOB staff to achieve the While the agency’s small size has
highest standards of excellence. created some challenges for the agency,
its structure has created distinct
The agency is led by a bipartisan group opportunities for the Board to ensure
of five Board Members, each appointed that civil liberties and privacy are
by the President, with the advice and appropriately considered and protected
consent of the Senate, to staggered six- in the government’s efforts to prevent
year terms. Board Members must come terrorism. The Board is an independent,
from different political parties and be bipartisan oversight and advice agency
selected based on their professional with access to classified information. By
qualifications, achievements, public offering its independent and informed
stature, expertise in civil liberties and views and analyses, the Board is able to
privacy, and relevant experience. both assist the executive branch in
formulating policy regarding
Further, the work performed by PCLOB counterterrorism efforts and add an
mission and operations staff requires an important voice to broader discussions
agile and diverse mix of talent equipped about striking the right balance
with critical skills that align with the between liberty and security in those
evolving strategic workforce needs of
efforts.

FY 2020 AGENCY FINANCIAL REPORT 7