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Cybersecurity: Selected Legal Issues

Description: 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.
Date: March 14, 2012
Creator: Liu, Edward C.; Stevens, Gina; Ruane, Kathleen Ann; Dolan, Alissa M. & Thompson, Richard M., II
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Department of Homeland Security Intelligence Enterprise: Operational Overview and Oversight Challenges for Congress

Description: This report provides an overview of the DHS IE both at headquarters and within the components. It examines how DHS IE is organized and supports key departmental activities to include homeland security analysis and threat warning; border security; critical infrastructure protection; support to, and the sharing of information with, state, local, tribal, and private sector partners. It also discusses several oversight challenges and options for Congress to consider on these issues.
Date: March 19, 2010
Creator: Randol, Mark A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Terrorism Investigations

Description: 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.
Date: April 24, 2013
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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“Gang of Four” Congressional Intelligence Notifications

Description: "Gang of Four" intelligence notifications are oral briefings on sensitive non-covert action intelligence activities (including intelligence collection programs) that the Intelligence Community typically limits to the chairmen and ranking members of the two congressional intelligence committees, and at times to their respective staff directors. This report reviews the history of Gang of Four notification process and compares this procedure with that of the "Gang of Eight" notification procedure.
Date: March 18, 2011
Creator: Cumming, Alfred
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Gang of Four" Congressional Intelligence Notifications

Description: This report reviews the history of the Gang of Four notification process and compares this procedure with that of the "Gang of Eight" notification procedure. The "Gang of Eight" procedure is statutorily based and provides that the chairmen and ranking Members of the intelligence committee, along with the Speaker and minority leader of the House, and Senate majority and minority leaders--rather than the full membership of the intelligence committees-- are to receive prior notice of particularly … more
Date: April 16, 2013
Creator: Erwin, Marshall Curtis
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Government Access to Phone Calling Activity and Related Records: Legal Authorities

Description: This report summarizes legal authorities regarding access by the government, for either foreign intelligence or law enforcement purposes, to information related to telephone calling patterns or practices. Where pertinent, it also discusses statutory prohibitions against accessing or disclosing such information, along with relevant exceptions to those prohibitions.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Bazan, Elizabeth B.; Liu, Edward C. & Stevens, Gina
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Government Collection of Private Information: Background and Issues Related to the USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization

Description: 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.
Date: March 2, 2010
Creator: Henning, Anna C.; Bazan, Elizabeth B.; Doyle, Charles & Liu, Edward C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Government Collection of Private Information: Background and Issues Related to the USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization

Description: 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 … more
Date: June 16, 2011
Creator: Liu, Edward C. & Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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HPSCI Memorandum Sparks Debate Over FISA Application Requirements

Description: This report discusses the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and its authority to allow the government to undertake electronic surveillance programs of people suspected of engaging in foreign intelligence activity along with recent debate regarding the issue.
Date: February 14, 2018
Creator: Liu, Edward C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Intelligence Appropriations Process: Issues for Congress

Description: 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.
Date: November 9, 2011
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Intelligence Authorization Legislation: Status and Challenges

Description: 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.
Date: January 27, 2010
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Intelligence Community and Its Use of Contractors: Congressional Oversight Issues

Description: The report examines, from an acquisition perspective, several reasons for interest in the intelligence community's (IC) use of contractors, notably, the types of functions contractors perform, whether the IC's acquisition workforce has the capacity to oversee contractors.
Date: August 18, 2015
Creator: Halchin, L. E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Intelligence Community Programs, Management, and Enduring Issues

Description: This report explains the management structure for the National Intelligence Program (NIP), and Military Intelligence Program (MIP), to include their two separate budget processes and the roles of the Director of National Intelligence and the Under Secretary of Defense (Intelligence). The concluding section of this report considers the ability of the U.S. government to make the best use of its intelligence-related resources when: (1) total intelligence spending is impossible to calculate; (2) it… more
Date: November 8, 2016
Creator: Daugherty Miles, Anne
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Intelligence Community Spending: Trends and Issues

Description: 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.
Date: June 18, 2018
Creator: DeVine, Michael E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Intelligence Community Spending: Trends and Issues

Description: This report examines Intelligence Community (IC) funding over the past several decades, with an emphasis on the period from 2007-2017--the period in which total national and military intelligence program (NIP and 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.
Date: November 8, 2016
Creator: Daugherty Miles, Anne
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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