The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), along with 15 other organizations, has urged President Biden to renominate Sharon Bradford Franklin as Chair of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB). Ms. Bradford Franklin’s term as PCLOB Chair has expired, and her holdover capacity ends in January. Historically, vacancies within PCLOB have led to periods of reduced effectiveness or dormancy.

The letter highlights Ms. Bradford Franklin's record as a "vigorous and pragmatic champion of protecting privacy and civil liberties in the fight against terrorism" and her efforts to promote transparency within the Intelligence Community overseen by PCLOB. Under her leadership, the board's reports on extraordinary surveillance powers have significantly influenced public debate regarding their renewal and the necessary safeguards.

Stable leadership at PCLOB is deemed crucial due to its role in reviewing privacy and civil liberties protections within the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF). The European Commission is currently scrutinizing the DPF's implementation in the U.S., making PCLOB's proper functioning a critical aspect of this examination. The DPF facilitates data flow between the U.S. and EU Member States.