Congressional Research Service Reports - 30 Matching Results
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- 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.
- The U.S. Secret Service: History and Missions
- This report discusses potential policy questions for the upcoming 114th Congress concerning the Service’s mission and organization through an examination of the USSS history and its statutory authorities, mission, and present activities within DHS. The policy questions presented in this report are only considerations, since the Service is widely perceived to be operating and performing its missions effectively for the past 11 years as part of DHS.
- 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.
- Anti-Terrorist/Anti-Money Laundering Information-Sharing by Financial Institutions under FINCEN's Regulations
- This report discusses Information-sharing programs developed by Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN) designed to aid law enforcement investigation and prosecution of money laundering and terrorist financing.
- Intelligence Issues for Congress
- This report gives an overview of current intelligence issues of interest to the 112th Congress. It includes background and analysis including most recent development, ongoing Congressional concerns, specific issues for the 112th Congress, and a summary of related legislation from the 109th through the 112th Congresses.
- Covert Action: Legislative Background and Possible Policy Questions
- Published reports have suggested that in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Pentagon has expanded its counter-terrorism intelligence activities as part of what the Bush Administration termed the global war on terror. This report discusses the Department of Defense's (DOD) various counter-terrorist intelligence activities, whether or not they constitute classification as "covert action," and the challenge of clarifying the roles and responsibilities of various intelligence activities with regard to clandestine activities. This report examines the statutory procedures governing covert action and associated questions to consider.
- 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.
- 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.
- Securing America's Borders: The Role of the Intelligence Community
- Maintaining the security of U.S. borders is a fundamental responsibility of the federal government. This report discusses the contribution of intelligence agencies to the border security efforts of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and other federal agencies that work in cooperation with state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. Much of the intelligence community's border security-related efforts are classified, however.
- Criminal Prohibitions on the Publication of Classified Defense Information
- The recent online publication of classified defense documents by the organization WikiLeaks and subsequent reporting by the New York Times and other news media have focused attention on whether such publication violates U.S. criminal law. The Justice Department and Department of Defense are investigating the circumstances to determine whether any prosecutions will be undertaken in connection with the disclosure. This report identifies some criminal statutes that may apply and also discusses the statutory prohibitions that may be implicated, such as the Espionage Act.
- Security Classification Policy and Procedure: E.O. 12958, as Amended
- This report describes security classification policy and procedure, largely prescribed in a series of successive presidential executive orders issued over the past 50 years. This policy provides the rationale and arrangements for designating information officially secret for reasons of national security, and for its declassification as well.
- Amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Set to Expire February 28, 2010
- The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) provides a statutory framework by which government agencies may, when gathering foreign intelligence investigation, obtain authorization to conduct electronic surveillance or physical searches, utilize pen registers and trap and trace devices, or access specified business records and other tangible things. This report discusses three sunsetting amendments of FISA which include the "Lone Wolf" provision, "roving" wiretaps, and access to business records.
- 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 U.S. Secret Service: An Examination and Analysis of Its Evolving Missions
- This report frames potential policy questions concerning the U.S. Secret Service's (USSS's) mission and organization through an examination of the USSS history and its statutory authorities, mission, and present activities within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
- 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.
- Covert Action: Legislative Background and Possible Policy Questions
- This report examines the statutory procedures governing covert action and associated questions to consider.
- Intelligence Issues for Congress
- This report discusses legislative initiatives to address the challenges facing the U.S. Intelligence Community in the 21st century.
- Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004: "Lone Wolf" Amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
- This report discusses the "Lone Wolf" Amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which designates non-United States persons who engage in or prepare to commit international terrorism as "agents of a foreign power".
- Intelligence Issues for Congress
- This report discusses intelligence issues for Congress including terrorism, conflicts between Israel and Palestine, in Iraq, and among the former Yugoslav states, and North Korean missile capabilities. Updated December 22, 2004.
- Secrecy Versus Openness: New Proposed Arrangements for Balancing Competing Needs
- During the latter half of 2004, disputes arose over whether or not to declassify portions of the sensitive content of reports resulting from congressional investigations and national commission inquiries into the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the war in Iraq, and related matters. As a result, some called for Congress to create a special mechanism for the impartial and expeditious resolution of such disputes (S. 2672/H.R. 4855; S. 2845 amendment). This report discusses the culmination of one such effort at balancing legitimate competing needs for secrecy and openness.
- Intelligence Community Reorganization: Potential Effects on DOD Intelligence Agencies
- This report discusses arguments surrounding intelligence reform legislation passed by Congress in December 2004 in response to the September 11th Terrorist Attacks and the legislation's potential impacts on the Department of Defense intelligence agencies, such as the National Security Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Updated December 21, 2004.
- Intelligence Issues for Congress
- This report discusses intelligence issues for Congress including terrorism, conflicts between Israel and Palestine, in Iraq, and among the former Yugoslav states, and North Korean missile capabilities. Updated December 9, 2004.
- Intelligence Community Reorganization: Potential Effects on DOD Intelligence Agencies
- This report discusses arguments surrounding intelligence reform legislation passed by Congress in December 2004 in response to the September 11th Terrorist Attacks and the legislation's potential impacts on the Department of Defense intelligence agencies, such as the National Security Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Updated December 6, 2004.
- The National Intelligence Director and Intelligence Analysis
- This report discusses proposed legislation placing the National Intelligence Council under the Director of National Intelligence's authority and the potential issues that this would cause. Updated December 3, 2004.
- Homeland Security: Intelligence Support
- This report examines the information analysis function and the sharing information among federal agencies but does not address provisions in the proposed legislation governing the sharing of intelligence with state and local officials; it will be updated as circumstances warrant.
- Intelligence to Counter Terrorism: Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the need for cooperation between law enforcement and intelligence agencies and for human intelligence (humint), the use of agents to gather information, to counter terrorism and the risks associated with humint. Updated December 23, 2002.
- Intelligence Issues for Congress
- This report discusses intelligence issues for Congress including narcotics trafficking, conflicts between Israel and Palestine, in Iraq, and among the former Yugoslav states, and North Korean missile capabilities. Updated December 16, 2002.
- Intelligence and Law Enforcement: Countering Transnational Threats to the U.S.
- This report discusses the different roles of intelligence and law enforcement agencies in countering transnational threats and the difficulties in coordinating their efforts. This report also discusses the desire of some observers to base the intelligence and law enforcement agencies' relationship in statutory law. Updated December 3, 2001.
- China: Suspected Acquisition of U.S. Nuclear Weapon Secrets
- This CRS Report discusses China’s suspected acquisition of U.S. nuclear weapon secrets, including that on the W88, the newest U.S. nuclear warhead, since the late 1970s. This current controversy, began in early 1999, raises policy issues about whether U.S. security is further threatened by the PRC’s suspected use of U.S. nuclear weapon secrets in its development of nuclear forces, as well as whether the Administration’s response to the security problems is effective or mishandled and whether it fairly used or abused its investigative and prosecuting authority.
- 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.