Congressional Research Service Reports - 285 Matching Results
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- The National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC): An Overview
- This report summarizes the background and functions of the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC).
- European Union Efforts to Counter Disinformation
- This report discusses European Union efforts to counter the use of propaganda by both state and non-state actors, including new strategies to combat disinformation.
- Intelligence Estimates: How Useful to Congress?
- This report discusses the National Intelligence Estimates (NIEs) that represent the highest and most formal level of strategic analysis by the U.S. intelligence community.
- Overview of Constitutional Challenges to NSA Collection Activities
- This report focuses on two main National Security Agency (NSA) collection activities approved by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) established under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978. The first is the bulk collection of telephony metadata for domestic and international telephone calls. The second involves the interception of Internet-based communications.
- National Security Letters in Foreign Intelligence Investigations: A Glimpse at the Legal Background
- This report reprints the text of the five National Security Letter (NSL) statutes as they now appear and as they appeared prior to amendment by the USA PATRIOT Act (to which form they would be returned under S.1125 and H.R. 1805).
- The National Intelligence Council: Issues and Options for Congress
- The National Intelligence Council (NIC), composed of some 18 senior analysts and national security policy experts, provides the U.S. intelligence community's best judgments on crucial international issues. It is the purpose of this report to describe the statutory provisions that authorize the NIC, provide a brief history of its work, and review its role within the federal government. The report will focus on congressional interaction with the NIC and describe various options for modifying congressional oversight.
- The Director of National Intelligence (DNI)
- This report describes the creation, responsibilities, and authorities of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
- Intelligence Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Evaluation Process (IPPBE)
- This report describes the phases of the Intelligence Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Evaluation Process (IPPBE). The Intelligence Community (IC) uses IPPBE to identify requirements and allocate resources that produce IC capabilities (e.g., human intelligence, signals intelligence, and geospatial intelligence) throughout development and execution of the National Intelligence Program (NIP) and budget. The NIP addresses priorities described in national security-related strategy documents such as the National Intelligence Strategy (NIS) and Consolidated Intelligence Guidance (CIG).
- Intelligence Community Spending: Trends and Issues
- This report examines Intelligence Community (IC) funding over the past several decades, with an emphasis on the period from 2007-2019--the period in which total National Intelligence Program (NIP) and Military Intelligence Program (MIP) spending dollars have been publicly disclosed on an annual basis. Intelligence-related spending (such as the Homeland Security Intelligence Program) that does not fall within the NIP and MIP is outside the scope of this report.
- Intelligence Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the efforts currently underway to improve coordination and encourage better analysis amongst the various agencies within the U.S. Intelligence Community, especially with regard to the ongoing and prominent issue of international terrorism. In particular, this report addresses the false intelligence regarding Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and the current efforts in Iraq and Iran in general.
- The U.S. Intelligence Community: Selected Cross-Cutting Issues
- This report focuses on cross-cutting management issues that affect the Intelligence Community's (IC's) ability to counter "pervasive and emerging threats" to the United States and balance resources both appropriately and wisely. The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) is charged with integrating the community of intelligence agencies so that they operate effectively as one team.
- The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: An Overview of Selected Issues
- This report briefly outlines some of the perspectives reflected in the ongoing debate related to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) focusing on three issues: tension between national security and civil liberties, collection of foreign intelligence information from foreign persons, and limitations on liability for telecommunications providers furnishing aid to the government.
- Covert Action and Clandestine Activities of the Intelligence Community: Selected Definitions in Brief
- This report provides definitions of clandestine versus covert intelligence activities and discusses what agencies are authorized to undertake which types of intelligence. It also covers military intelligence terms that are different than ones used by civilian government activities.
- The SSCI Study of the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program: Issues to Consider
- This report briefly discusses issues pertaining to the 500-page Executive Summary of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA's) Detention and Interrogation Program, which released to the public on December 9, 2014 describes the history of the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program from late 2001 to January 2009, including a review of each of the 119 individuals known to have been held in CIA custody.
- Government Collection of Private Information: Background and Issues Related to the USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization
- This report discusses the history of constitutional interpretations and legislative responses relevant to the collection of private information for criminal investigation, foreign intelligence gathering, and national security purposes.
- Intelligence Authorization Legislation: Status and Challenges
- This report assesses the effects of the absence of intelligence authorization legislation since FY2005. Since FY2005, no annual intelligence authorization bill has been enacted. Although the National Security Act requires intelligence activities to be specifically authorized, this requirement has been satisfied in recent years by one-sentence catch-all provisions in defense appropriations acts authorizing intelligence activities.
- Intelligence Authorization Legislation: Status and Challenges
- This report assesses the effects of the absence of intelligence authorization legislation since FY2005. Since FY2005, no annual intelligence authorization bill has been enacted. Although the National Security Act requires intelligence activities to be specifically authorized, this requirement has been satisfied in recent years by one-sentence catch-all provisions in defense appropriations acts authorizing intelligence activities.
- Intelligence Authorization Legislation: Status and Challenges
- This report assesses the effects of the absence of intelligence authorization legislation since FY2005. Since FY2005, no annual intelligence authorization bill has been enacted. Although the National Security Act requires intelligence activities to be specifically authorized, this requirement has been satisfied in recent years by one-sentence catch-all provisions in defense appropriations acts authorizing intelligence activities.
- Smartphone Data Encryption: A Renewed Boundary for Law Enforcement?
- This report briefly examines new issues for law enforcement regarding data encryption and smartphones including cyber-criminals and Apple's new privacy policy that removes the back-doors that law enforcement used to be able to use to access user data.
- Intelligence Authorization Legislation: Status and Challenges
- This report assesses the effects of the absence of intelligence authorization legislation subsequent to FY2005 and indicate the substantial but limited effects of the FY2010 Intelligence Authorization Act (P.L. 111-259)
- Homeland Security Intelligence: Perceptions, Statutory Definitions, and Approaches
- This report provides a potential conceptual model of how to frame homeland security intelligence (HSINT), including geographic, structural/statutory, and holistic approaches. Given that state, local, tribal, and private sector officials play such an important role in HSINT, the holistic model, one not constrained by geography or levels of government, strikes many as the most compelling. The report argues that there is, in effect, a Homeland Security Intelligence Community (HSIC). Although the HSIC's members are diffused across the nation, they share a common counterterrorism interest. The proliferation of intelligence and information fusion centers across the country indicate that state and local leaders believe there is value to centralizing intelligence gathering and analysis in a manner that assists them in preventing and responding to local manifestations of terrorist threats to their people, infrastructure, and other assets. At the policy and operational levels, the communication and integration of federal HSINT efforts with these state and local fusion centers will likely remain an important priority and future challenge.
- Sensitive Covert Action Notifications: Oversight Options for Congress
- Legislation enacted in 1980 gave the executive branch authority to limit advance notification of especially-sensitive covert actions to eight Members of Congress (called the "Gang of Eight") when the President determines that it is essential to limit prior notice in order to meet extraordinary circumstances affecting U.S. vital interests. This report describes the statutory provision authorizing Gang of Eight notifications, reviews the legislative history of the provision, and examines the impact of such notifications on congressional oversight.
- Terrorist Financing: The 9/11 Commission Recommendation
- This report discusses the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the U.S. government shift the focus of its efforts to counter terrorist financing from a strategy based on seizing terrorist assets to a strategy based on exploiting intelligence gathered from financial investigations.
- CRS Issue Statement on Intelligence Policy
- This report contains the distinction between foreign and law enforcement intelligence that remain important when civil liberties and privacy rights of U.S. persons are involved.
- Government Collection of Private Information: Background and Issues Related to the USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization
- Congress enacted the USA PATRIOT Act soon after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The most controversial sections of the act facilitate the federal government's collection of more information, from a greater number of sources, than had previously been authorized in criminal or foreign intelligence investigations. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), and the national security letter (NSL) statutes were all bolstered. With the changes came greater access to records showing an individual's spending and communication patterns as well as increased authority to intercept e-mail and telephone conversations and to search homes and businesses.
- The National Intelligence Council (NIC): Issues and Options for Congress
- It is the purpose of this report to describe the statutory provisions that authorize the NIC, provide a brief history of its work, and review its role within the federal government. The report will focus on congressional interaction with the NIC and describe various options for modifying congressional oversight.
- The Intelligence Appropriations Process: Issues for Congress
- The intelligence appropriations process remains complicated and not well understood, but intelligence is an important and sizable part of the federal budget and will undoubtedly be addressed as Congress considers various alternatives for spending. This report reviews the intelligence appropriations process, describes various changes that have been proposed, and analyzes the issues associated with the proposals.
- Paris Attacks and "Going Dark": Intelligence-Related Issues to Consider
- This report discusses intelligence efforts on tracking numerous individuals involved in the deadly assault in Paris on November 13, 2015.
- National Security Letters: Proposals in the 112th Congress
- This report reprints the text of the five National Security Letter (NSL) statutes as they now appear and as they appeared prior to amendment by the USA PATRIOT Act (to which form they would be returned under S.1125 and H.R. 1805). NSLs are roughly comparable to administrative subpoenas. Various intelligence agencies use them to demand certain customer information from communications providers, financial institutions, and consumer credit reporting agencies under the Right to Financial Privacy Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the National Security Act, and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.
- National Security Letters: Proposals in the 112th Congress
- This report reprints the text of the five National Security Letter (NSL) statutes as they now appear and as they appeared prior to amendment by the USA PATRIOT Act.
- The National Intelligence Council: Issues and Options for Congress
- This report to describe the statutory provisions that authorize the National Intelligence Council (NIC), provide a brief history of its work, and review its role within the federal government. The report will focus on congressional interaction with the NIC and describe various options for modifying congressional oversight.
- Government Collection of Private Information: Background and Issues Related to the USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization
- This report discusses the history of constitutional interpretations and legislative responses relevant to the collection of private information for criminal investigation, foreign intelligence gathering, and national security purposes.
- Government Collection of Private Information: Background and Issues Related to the USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization
- This report discusses the history of constitutional interpretations and legislative responses relevant to the collection of private information for criminal investigation, foreign intelligence gathering, and national security purposes.
- The National Intelligence Council: Issues and Options for Congress
- The purpose of this report to describe the statutory provisions that authorize the National Intelligence Council (NIC), provide a brief history of its work, and review its role within the federal government. The report will focus on congressional interaction with the NIC and describe various options for modifying congressional oversight.
- Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR): The U-2 Aircraft and Global Hawk UAV Programs
- Among airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconaissance (ISR) platforms, the U-2 Dragon Lady and the RQ-4A Global Hawk are especially valuable. This report discusses how best to use existing and planned manned and unmanned ISR aircraft to most effectively satisfy the Department of Defense's (Dod) requirements for timely and accurate information on enemy forces.
- 9/11 Commission Recommendations: Intelligence Budget
- This report identifies the main recommendations of the 9/11 Commission with respect to the intelligence budget. This report also describes the intelligence budget process under current law to explain the effect of these recommendations and presents the current budget authorities of the Director of Central Intelligence, as well as budget provisions in two bills, S. 2774 and H.R. 5040, that include all Commission recommendations.
- H.R. 10 (9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act) and S. 2845 (National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004): A Comparative Analysis
- No Description Available.
- Homeland Security Intelligence: Perceptions, Statutory Definitions, and Approaches
- Although the activities involved in homeland security intelligence (HSINT) itself are not new, the relative importance of state, local, and private sector stakeholders; the awareness of how law enforcement information might protect national security; and the importance attached to homeland security intelligence have all increased substantially since the events of September 11, 2001. This report provides a potential conceptual model of how to frame HSINT, including geographic, structural/statutory, and holistic approaches. Given that state, local, tribal, and private sector officials play such an important role in HSINT, the holistic model, one not constrained by geography or levels of government, strikes many as the most compelling. The report argues that there is, in effect, a Homeland Security Intelligence Community (HSIC). While this community may not necessarily be a useful construct from a management perspective, it is nevertheless a community as traditionally defined. Although the HSIC’s members are diffused across the nation, they share a common counterterrorism interest.
- Reform of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Courts: A Brief Overview
- This report discusses the recent disclosures of various National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance and data collection programs that have prompted increased attention on the government's collection of foreign intelligence.
- USA PATRIOT Act Sunset: Provisions That Were to Expire on December 31, 2005
- This report examines various provisions of the Patriot Act that were set to expire on December 31, 2005. Their expiration date has been postponed until March 10, 2006. The expiring sections deal with the power of federal authorities to conduct searches and seizures, generally searches and seizures relating to communications.
- The Balkans and Russia
- This report discusses relations between Russia and the Balkan countries of southeast Europe. Efforts by Russia to gain influence and hinder the Balkan countries in their relations with the EU through "soft power" and intelligence activities are discussed.
- National Security Letters: Proposals in the 113th Congress
- This report reprints the text of the five National Security Letter (NSL) statutes as they now appear and as they appeared prior to amendment by the USA PATRIOT Act. A National Security Letter (NSL) is roughly comparable to an administrative subpoena, used by various intelligence agencies to demand certain customer information from communications providers, financial institutions, and consumer credit reporting agencies under the Right to Financial Privacy Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the National Security Act, and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.
- Reform of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Courts: Procedural and Operational Changes
- This report begins with an overview of both the FISC and the FISA Court of Review, including the jurisdiction of these courts, how the judges are appointed, and the FISC's practices and procedures for reviewing and issuing surveillance orders. The report then discusses the scope and underlying legal principles behind congressional regulation of the procedures of the federal courts, and applies those principles with respect to the various proposals to reform the FISA judicial review process.
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Terrorism Investigations
- This report provides background information on key elements of the FBI terrorism investigative process, based on publicly available information. This report sets forth possible considerations for Congress as it executes its oversight role, including the extent to which intelligence has been integrated into FBI operations to support its counterterrorism mission and the progress the Bureau has made on its intelligence reform initiatives.
- Terrorism: Information as a Tool for Control A Summary of Issues and Compilation of Document
- This report describes the major themes of a Congressional Research Service Forum, "Terrorism: Information as a Tool for Control." The Forum focused on the development of resources that could keep the government informed on terrorist activity.
- Reform of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Courts: Procedural and Operational Changes
- This report begins with an overview of both the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Court of Review, including the jurisdiction of these courts, how the judges are appointed, and the FISC’s practices and procedures for reviewing and issuing surveillance orders. The report then discusses the scope and underlying legal principles behind congressional regulation of the procedures of the federal courts, and applies those principles with respect to the various proposals to reform the FISA judicial review process.
- Renewed Crypto Wars?
- This report briefly examines renewed tensions between tech companies and the government regarding encryption "back doors" and how quickly-advancing technologies could impact law enforcement investigations.
- USA PATRIOT Act Sunset: A Sketch
- This report discusses the sunset of a handful of communications-related sections of the USA PATRIOT Act and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act on March 10, 2006. The authority of the expiring sections remains in effect only as it relates to foreign intelligence investigations begun before sunset or to offenses or potential offenses begun or occurring before that date. Thereafter, the law reverts to its previous form unless it has been amended in the interim or subsequently renewed.
- Cybersecurity: Selected Legal Issues
- This report discusses selected legal issues that frequently arise in the context of recent legislation to address vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure to cyber threats, efforts to protect government networks from cyber threats, and proposals to facilitate and encourage sharing of cyber threat information amongst private sector and government entities. This report also discusses the degree to which federal law may preempt state law.
- National Security Letters in Foreign Intelligence Investigations: A Glimpse of the Legal Background and Recent Amendments
- This report discusses the National Security Letters (NSLs), which seek customer and consumer transaction information in national security investigations from communications providers, financial institutions, and credit agencies.