Calendar No. 494
115th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 115-298
======================================================================
MATTHEW YOUNG POLLARD INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEARS
2018 AND 2019
_______
July 11, 2018.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Burr, from the Select Committee on Intelligence,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
together with
ADDITIONAL VIEWS
[To accompany S. 3153]
The Select Committee on Intelligence, having considered an
original bill (S. 3153) to authorize appropriations for fiscal
years 2018 and 2019 for intelligence and intelligence-related
activities of the United States Government, the Intelligence
Community Management Account, the Central Intelligence Agency
Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes,
reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass.
Classified Annexes to the Committee Report
On June 12, 2017, acting pursuant to Section 364 of the
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law
111-259), the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) publicly
disclosed that the President's aggregate request for the
National Intelligence Program for Fiscal Year 2018 was $57.7
billion. On February 27, 2018, acting pursuant to Section 364
of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010
(Public Law 111-259), the DNI publicly disclosed that the
President's aggregate request for the National Intelligence
Program for Fiscal Year 2019 was $59.9 billion. Other than for
limited unclassified appropriations, primarily the Intelligence
Community Management Account, the classified nature of United
States intelligence activities precludes any further
disclosure, including by the Committee, of the details of its
budgetary recommendations. Accordingly, the Committee has
prepared classified annexes to this report that contain
classified Schedules of Authorizations; one for Fiscal Year
2018, and one for Fiscal Year 2019. The classified annex and
Schedule of Authorizations for Fiscal Year 2018 reflect
negotiations with the House Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence for a joint explanatory statement and accompanying
classified annex in anticipation of separate passage of an
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. The
classified Schedules of Authorizations are incorporated by
reference in the Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence
Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019 and have the
legal status of public law. The classified annexes are made
available to the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and
the House of Representatives and to the President. They are
also available for review by any Member of the Senate subject
to Senate Resolution 400 of the 94th Congress (1976).
Section-by-Section Analysis and Explanation
The following is a section-by-section analysis and
explanation of the Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence
Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019 (the ``Act'')
that was reported by the Committee.
TITLE I--INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES
Section 101. Authorization of appropriations
Section 101 lists the United States Government departments,
agencies, and other elements for which the Act authorizes
appropriations for intelligence and intelligence-related
activities for Fiscal Year 2018 and Fiscal Year 2019. Section
101 further clarifies that certain appropriated funds are
authorized for purposes of Section 504 of the National Security
Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3094) and limits certain waivers for (1)
activities authorized under Section 503 of the National
Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3093), and (2) major systems as
defined in Section 506A(e) of the National Security Act of 1947
(50 U.S.C. 3097), unless the DNI notifies the congressional
intelligence committees that the activities are urgent for
national security purposes.
Section 102. Classified Schedules of Authorizations
Section 102 provides that the details of the amounts
authorized to be appropriated for intelligence and
intelligence-related activities for Fiscal Year 2018 and Fiscal
Year 2019 are contained in classified Schedules of
Authorizations and that the classified Schedules of
Authorizations shall be made available to the Committees on
Appropriations of the Senate and House of Representatives and
to the President.
Section 103. Personnel ceiling adjustments
Section 103 provides that the DNI may authorize employment
of civilian personnel in Fiscal Year 2018 in excess of the
number of authorized positions by an amount not exceeding three
percent of the total limit applicable to each Intelligence
Community (IC) element under Section 102, and ten percent of
the number of civilian personnel authorized under such schedule
for the purposes of contractor conversions. The DNI may do so
only if necessary to the performance of important intelligence
functions. If the DNI exercises the provision allowing for
contractor conversions, the DNI shall provide written
justification to the congressional intelligence committees.
Section 103 does not authorize personnel for Fiscal Year
2019, given the congressional intelligence committees have
committed to allowing the IC to manage by funding under its
multisector workforce initiative, and no longer by positions.
Section 104. Intelligence Community Management Account
Section 104 authorizes appropriations for the Intelligence
Community Management Account (ICMA) of the ODNI for Fiscal Year
2018 and Fiscal Year 2019. Section 104 authorizes personnel for
Fiscal Year 2018, but consistent with Section 103, Section 104
does not authorize personnel for Fiscal Year 2019, given the
congressional intelligence committees have committed to
allowing the IC to manage by funding under its multisector
workforce initiative, and no longer by positions.
TITLE II--CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY RETIREMENT AND DISABILITY SYSTEM
Section 201. Authorization of appropriations
Section 201 authorizes appropriations in the amount of
$514,000,000 for the CIA Retirement and Disability Fund for
each of Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019.
Section 202. Computation of annuities for employees of the Central
Intelligence Agency
Section 202 makes technical changes to the CIA Retirement
Act to conform with various statutes governing the Civil
Service Retirement System.
TITLE III-GENERAL INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY MATTERS
Section 301. Restriction on conduct of intelligence activities
Section 301 provides that the authorization of
appropriations by the Act shall not be deemed to constitute
authority for the conduct of any intelligence activity that is
not otherwise authorized by the Constitution or laws of the
United States.
Section 302. Increase in employee compensation and benefits authorized
by law
Section 302 provides that funds authorized to be
appropriated by the Act for salary, pay, retirement, and other
benefits for federal employees may be increased by such
additional or supplemental amounts as may be necessary for
increases in compensation or benefits authorized by law.
Section 303. Modification of special pay authority for science,
technology, engineering, or mathematics positions and addition
of special pay authority for cyber positions
Section 303 provides an increased yearly cap for Science,
Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) employee
positions in the IC that support critical cyber missions.
Section 303 also permits the National Security Agency (NSA) to
establish a special rate of pay for positions that perform
functions that execute the agency's cyber mission.
Section 304. Modification of appointment of Chief Information Officer
of the Intelligence Community
Section 304 changes the position of IC Chief Information
Officer from being subject to presidential appointment to being
subject to appointment by the DNI.
Section 305. Director of National Intelligence review of placement of
positions within the intelligence community on the Executive
Schedule
Section 305 requires the DNI, in coordination with the
Office of Personnel Management, to conduct a review of the
positions within the IC that may be appropriate for inclusion
on the Executive Schedule, and the appropriate levels for
inclusion.
Section 306. Supply Chain and Counterintelligence Risk Management Task
Force
Section 306 requires the DNI to establish a task force to
standardize information sharing between the IC and the United
States Government acquisition community with respect to supply
chain and counterintelligence risks. Section 306 further
provides requirements for membership, security clearances, and
annual reports.
Section 307. Consideration of adversarial telecommunications and
cybersecurity infrastructure when sharing intelligence with
foreign governments and entities
Section 307 requires the IC, when entering into foreign
intelligence sharing agreements, to consider the pervasiveness
of telecommunications and cybersecurity infrastructure,
equipment, and services provided by United States adversaries
or entities thereof.
Section 308. Cyber protection support for the personnel of the
intelligence community in positions highly vulnerable to cyber
attack
Section 308 permits the DNI to provide cyber protection
support for the personal technology devices and personal
accounts of IC personnel whom the DNI determines to be highly
vulnerable to cyber attacks and hostile information collection
activities.
Section 309. Modification of authority relating to management of
supply-chain risk
Section 309 extends certain IC procurement authorities to
manage and protect against supply chain risks. Section 309
further requires annual reporting on the IC's determinations
and notifications made in executing these authorities.
Section 310. Limitations on determinations regarding certain security
classifications
Section 310 prohibits an officer of the IC who is nominated
to a Senate-confirmed position from making certain
classification determinations posing potential conflicts of
interest regarding that nominee.
TITLE IV--MATTERS RELATING TO ELEMENTS OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
SUBTITLE A--OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Section 401. Authority for protection of current and former employees
of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Section 401 amends Title 50, section 3506, to provide
protection for current and former ODNI personnel and designated
immediate family members, if there is a national security
threat that warrants such protection.
Section 402. Designation of the Program Manager-Information Sharing
Environment
Section 402 amends the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism
Protection Act of 2004 so that the Program Manager-Information
Sharing Environment (PM-ISE) is subject to appointment by the
DNI, not the President.
Section 403. Modification to the Executive Schedule
Section 403 amends the Executive Schedule to make the
Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security
Center a Level IV position on the Executive Schedule.
SUBTITLE B--OTHER ELEMENTS
Section 411. Repeal of foreign language proficiency requirement for
certain senior level positions in the Central Intelligence
Agency
Section 411 repeals Title 50, section 3036(g), with
conforming amendments to section 611 of the Intelligence
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 108-487).
Section 412. Plan for designation of counterintelligence component of
the Defense Security Service as an element of intelligence
community
Section 412 directs the DNI and the Under Secretary of
Defense for Intelligence, in coordination with the Director of
the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, to
provide the congressional intelligence and defense committees
with an implementation plan to make the Defense Security
Service's (DSS's) Counterintelligence component an element of
the IC as defined in paragraph (4) of section 3 of the National
Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4)), by January 1, 2020.
Section 412 further provides that the plan shall not address
the DSS's personnel security functions.
Section 413. Notice not required for private entities
Section 413 provides a Rule of Construction that the
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is not
required to provide notice to private entities before issuing
directives on agency information security policies and
practices.
TITLE V--ELECTION MATTERS
Section 501. Report on cyber attacks by foreign governments against
United States election infrastructure
Section 501 directs the Under Secretary for Intelligence
and Analysis (I&A;) of DHS to submit a report on cyber attacks
and attempted cyber attacks by foreign governments on United
States election infrastructure, in connection with the 2016
presidential election. Section 501 further requires this report
to include identification of the States and localities affected
and include efforts to attack voter registration databases,
voting machines, voting-related computer networks, and the
networks of Secretaries of State and other election officials.
Section 502. Review of intelligence community's posture to collect
against and analyze Russian efforts to influence the
Presidential election
Section 502 requires the DNI to submit to the congressional
intelligence committees, within one year of enactment of this
Act, a report on the Director's review of the IC's posture to
collect against and analyze Russian efforts to interfere with
the 2016 United States presidential election. Section 502
further requires the review to include assessments of IC
resources, information sharing, and legal authorities.
Section 503. Assessment of foreign intelligence threats to Federal
elections
Section 503 requires the DNI, in coordination with the
Director of the CIA, Director of the NSA, Director of the FBI,
Secretary of DHS, and heads of other relevant IC elements, to
commence assessments of security vulnerabilities of State
election systems one year before regularly scheduled Federal
elections. Section 503 further requires the DNI to submit a
report on such assessments 180 days before regularly scheduled
Federal elections, and an updated assessment 90 days before
regularly scheduled Federal elections.
Section 504. Strategy for countering Russian cyber threats to United
States elections
Section 504 requires the DNI, in coordination with the
Secretary of DHS, Director of the FBI, Director of the CIA,
Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and Secretary of the
Treasury, to develop a whole-of-government strategy for
countering Russian cyber threats against United States
electoral systems and processes. Section 504 further requires
this strategy to include input from solicited Secretaries of
State and chief election officials.
Section 505. Information sharing with State election officials
Section 505 requires the DNI, within 30 days of enactment
of this Act, to support the Under Secretary for I&A; at DHS, and
any other appropriate designees of the Secretary of DHS in
sponsoring a security clearance for each eligible chief
election official of a State, territory, or the District of
Columbia (and additional eligible designees), up to the top
secret level. Section 505 also requires the DNI to assist the
Under Secretary for I&A; with sharing appropriate classified
information about threats to election systems and to the
integrity of the election process with chief election officials
and their designees who possess the aforementioned security
clearances.
Section 506. Designation of counterintelligence officer to lead
election security matters
Section 506 requires the DNI to designate a national
counterintelligence officer within the National
Counterintelligence and Security Center to lead, manage, and
coordinate election security-related counterintelligence
matters, including certain risks from foreign power
interference.
TITLE VI--SECURITY CLEARANCES
Section 601. Definitions
Section 601 provides definitions for terminology used
throughout this Title.
Section 602. Reports and plans relating to security clearances and
background investigations
Section 602 requires the interagency Performance
Accountability Council (Council) to provide plans to reduce the
background investigation inventory and best align the
investigation function between the Department of Defense and
the National Background Investigation Bureau. Section 602
further requires the Council to report on the future of the
clearance process and requires the DNI to notify the
appropriate committees upon determining requests to change
clearance standards, and the status of those requests'
disposition.
Section 603. Improving the process for security clearances
Section 603 requires the DNI to review the Questionnaire
for National Security positions (SF-86) and the Federal
Investigative Standards to determine potential unnecessary
information required and assess whether revisions are necessary
to account for insider threats. Section 603 further requires
the DNI, in coordination with the Council, to establish
policies on interim clearances and consistency between the
clearance process for contract and government personnel.
Section 604. Goals for promptness of determinations regarding security
clearances
Section 604 requires the Council to implement a plan to be
able to process ninety percent of clearance requests at the
Secret level in thirty days, and at the Top Secret level in
ninety days. The plan shall also address how to recognize
reciprocity in accepting clearances among agencies within two
weeks, and to require that ninety percent of clearance holders
not be subject to a time-based periodic investigation.
Section 605. Security Executive Agent
Section 605 establishes the DNI as the government's
Security Executive Agent, consistent with Executive Order
13467, and sets forth relevant authorities.
Section 606. Report on unified, simplified, government-wide standards
for positions of trust and security clearances
Section 606 directs the DNI and the Director of the Office
of Personnel Management to report on the advisability and
implications of consolidating the tiers for positions of trust
and security clearances from five to three tiers.
Section 607. Report on clearance in person concept
Section 607 requires the DNI to submit a report on a
concept whereby an individual can maintain eligibility for
access to classified information for up to three years after
access may lapse.
Section 608. Budget request documentation on funding for clearances
Section 608 requires the President to submit to Congress
with the Fiscal Year 2020 budget request exhibits that identify
resources allocated by each agency for processing security
clearances, identified by each respective tier.
Section 609. Reports on reciprocity for security clearances inside of
departments and agencies
Section 609 requires each federal agency to submit a report
to the DNI that identifies the number of clearances that take
more than two weeks to reciprocally recognize and set forth the
reason for any delays. Section 609 further requires the DNI to
submit an annual report summarizing reciprocity.
Section 610. Intelligence community reports on security clearances
Section 610 requires the DNI to submit a report on each IC
element's security clearance metrics, segregated by Federal
employees and contractor employees.
Section 611. Periodic report on positions in the intelligence community
which can be conducted without access to classified
information, networks, or facilities
Section 611 requires the DNI to submit to the congressional
intelligence committees a report on positions that can be
conducted without access to classified information, networks,
or facilities, or may require only a secret-level clearance.
Section 612. Information sharing program for positions of trust
Section 612 requires the Security Executive Agent to
establish a program to share information between and among
government agencies and industry partners to inform decisions
about positions of trust and security clearances.
Section 613. Report on protections for confidentiality of
whistleblower-related communications
Section 613 requires the Security Executive Agent, in
coordination with the Inspector General of the Intelligence
Community, to submit a report detailing the IC's controls used
to ensure continuous evaluation programs protect the
confidentiality of whistleblower-related communications.
TITLE VII--REPORTS AND OTHER MATTERS
SUBTITLE A--MATTERS RELATING TO RUSSIA AND OTHER FOREIGN POWERS
Section 701. Limitation relating to establishment or support of
cybersecurity unit with the Government of Russia
Section 701 prohibits the Federal government from expending
any funds to establish or support a cybersecurity unit or other
cyber agreement that is jointly established or otherwise
implemented by the United States Government and the Russian
Government, unless the DNI submits a report to the
congressional intelligence committees and the armed services
committees at least 30 days prior to any such agreement. The
report shall include the agreement's purpose, intended shared
intelligence, value to national security, counterintelligence
concerns, and any measures taken to mitigate such concerns.
Section 702. Report on returning Russian compounds
Section 702 requires the IC to submit to the congressional
intelligence committees, within 180 days of enactment of this
Act, both classified and unclassified reports on the
intelligence risks of returning the diplomatic compounds--in
New York, Maryland, and California--taken from Russia as a
reprisal for Russian meddling in the 2016 United States
presidential election. Section 702 also establishes an ongoing
requirement for producing similar assessments for future
assignment of diplomatic compounds within the United States.
Section 703. Assessment of threat finance relating to Russia
Section 703 requires the DNI, in coordination with the
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Intelligence and
Analysis, to submit to the congressional intelligence
committees, within 60 days of enactment of this Act, an
assessment of Russian threat finance, based on all-source
intelligence from both the IC and the Office of Terrorism and
Financial Intelligence of the Treasury Department. Section 703
further requires the assessment to include global nodes and
entry points for Russian money laundering; United States
vulnerabilities; connections between Russian individuals
involved in money laundering and the Russian Government;
counterintelligence threats to the United States posed by
Russian money laundering and other forms of threat finance; and
challenges to United States Government efforts to enforce
sanctions and combat organized crime.
Section 704. Notification of an active measures campaign
Section 704 requires the DNI to notify congressional
leadership, and the Chairman and Vice Chairman or Ranking
Member of the congressional intelligence committees and the
armed services committees, each time the DNI has determined
there is credible information that a foreign power has
attempted, is attempting, or will attempt to employ a covert
influence or active measures campaign with regard to the
modernization, employment, doctrine, or force posture of the
nuclear deterrent or missile defense. Section 704 further
requires that such notification must include information on any
actions that the United States has taken to expose or halt such
attempts.
Section 705. Notification of travel by accredited diplomatic and
consular personnel of the Russian Federation in the United
States
Section 705 requires the Secretary of State to ensure that
the Russian Federation provides notification at least two
business days in advance of all travel that is subject to such
requirements by accredited diplomatic and consular personnel of
the Russian Federation in the United States, and take necessary
action to secure full compliance by Russian personnel and
address any noncompliance.
SUBTITLE B--REPORTS
Section 711. Technical correction to Inspector General study
Section 711 amends Title 50, section 11001(d), by replacing
the IC IG's ``audit'' requirement for Inspectors General with
employees having classified material access, with a ``review''
requirement.
Section 712. Reports on authorities of the Chief Intelligence Officer
of the Department of Homeland Security
Section 712 requires the Secretary of DHS, in consultation
with the Under Secretary for I&A;, to submit to the
congressional intelligence committees a report on the adequacy
of the Under Secretary's authorities required as the Chief
Intelligence Officer to organize the Homeland Security
Intelligence Enterprise, and the legal and policy changes
necessary to coordinate, organize, and lead DHS intelligence
activities.
Section 713. Report on cyber exchange program
Section 713 directs the DNI to submit a report, within 90
days of enactment of this Act, on the potential establishment
of a voluntary cyber exchange program between the IC and
private technology companies.
Section 714. Report on role of Director of National Intelligence with
respect to certain foreign investments
Section 714 directs the DNI to submit a report on ODNI's
role in preparing analytic materials in connection with the
United States Government's evaluation of national security
risks associated with potential foreign investments.
Section 715. Report on surveillance by foreign governments against
United States telecommunications networks
Section 715 requires the DNI, in coordination with the
Director of the CIA, Director of the NSA, Director of the FBI,
and Secretary of DHS, to submit to the congressional
intelligence, judiciary, and homeland security committees,
within 180 days of enactment of this Act, a report on known
attempts by foreign governments to exploit cybersecurity
vulnerabilities in United States telecommunications networks to
surveil United States persons, and any actions that the IC has
taken to protect United States Government agencies and
personnel from such surveillance.
Section 716. Biennial report on foreign investment risks
Section 716 requires the DNI to establish an IC working
group on foreign investment risks and prepare a biennial report
that includes an identification, analysis, and explanation of
national security vulnerabilities, foreign investment trends,
foreign countries' strategies to exploit vulnerabilities
through the acquisition of either critical technologies
(including components or items essential to national defense),
critical materials (including physical materials essential to
national security), or critical infrastructure (including
physical or virtual systems and assets whose destruction or
incapacity would have a debilitating impact on national
security), and market distortions caused by foreign countries.
Technologies, materials, and infrastructure are deemed to be
``critical'' under this provision if their exploitation by a
foreign government could cause severe harm to the national
security of the United States.
Section 717. Modification of certain reporting requirement on travel of
foreign diplomats
Section 717 amends a provision in the Intelligence
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, to require reporting of
``a best estimate'' of known or suspected violations of certain
travel requirements by accredited diplomatic and consular
personnel of the Russian Federation.
Section 718. Semiannual reports on investigations of unauthorized
disclosures of classified information
Section 718 requires the Assistant Attorney General for
National Security at the Department of Justice, in consultation
with the Director of the FBI, to submit to the congressional
intelligence and judiciary committees a semiannual report on
the status of IC referrals to the Department regarding
unauthorized disclosures of classified information. Section 718
also directs IC elements to submit to the congressional
intelligence committees a semiannual report on the number of
investigations opened and completed by each agency regarding an
unauthorized public disclosure of classified information to the
media, and the number of completed investigations referred to
the Attorney General.
Section 719. Congressional notification of designation of covered
intelligence officer as persona non grata
Section 719 requires, not later than 72 hours after a
covered intelligence officer is designated as persona non
grata, that the DNI, in consultation with the Secretary of
State, submit to the congressional intelligence committees a
notification of that designation, to include the basis for the
designation and justification for the expulsion.
Section 720. Inspectors General reports on classification
Section 720 requires each designated IG to submit to the
congressional intelligence committees a report on the accuracy
in the application of classification and handling markings on a
representative sample of finished products, to include those
with compartments. Section 720 also directs analyses of
compliance with declassification procedures and a review of the
effectiveness of processes for identifying topics of public or
historical importance that merit prioritization for
declassification review.
Section 721. Reports on intelligence community participation in
vulnerabilities equities process of Federal Government
Section 721 requires the DNI to submit, within 90 days of
enactment of this Act, to the congressional intelligence
committees a report describing the Vulnerabilities Equities
Process (VEP) roles and responsibilities for each IC element.
Section 721 further requires each IC element to report to the
congressional intelligence committees within 30 days of a
significant change to that respective IC element's VEP process
and criteria. Section 721 also requires the DNI to submit an
annual report to the congressional intelligence committees with
specified information on certain VEP metrics.
Section 722. Reports on global water insecurity and national security
implications
Section 722 requires the DNI to submit to the congressional
intelligence committees a report every five years on the
implications of global water insecurity on the United States'
national security interests.
Section 723. Annual report on memoranda of understanding between
elements of intelligence community and other entities of the
United States Government regarding significant operational
activities or policy
Section 723 amends a provision in the Intelligence
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, instead requiring each
IC element to submit an annual report to the congressional
intelligence committees that lists each significant memorandum
of understanding or other agreement entered into during the
preceding fiscal year. Section 723 further requires each IC
element to provide such documents if an intelligence committee
so requests.
Section 724. Repeal of report requirement for inspectors general of
certain elements of intelligence community
Section 724 repeals an annual reporting requirement for
Inspectors General of the NSA, DIA, NRO, and NGA, while leaving
intact ongoing substantive semiannual reporting requirements
for those Inspectors General.
Section 725. Repeal of requirement for annual personnel level
assessments for the intelligence community
Section 725 repeals the DNI's requirement to provide an
annual personnel level assessment for each IC element.
Section 726. Report on outreach strategy addressing threats from United
States adversaries to the United States technology sector
Section 726 requires the DNI to submit a report to
appropriate committees on the IC's and the Defense Intelligence
Enterprise's (DIE's) outreach to United States non-government
entities (including private businesses and academia), regarding
the United States' adversaries' efforts to acquire critical
United States infrastructure technology, intellectual property,
and research and development information.
Section 727. Study on the feasibility of encrypting unclassified
wireline and wireless telephone calls
Section 727 requires the DNI to complete a study and report
on the feasibility of encrypting unclassified wireline and
wireless telephone calls between personnel in the IC.
Section 728. Modification of requirement for annual report on hiring
and retention of minority employees
Section 728 expands and clarifies current IC reporting
requirements on diversity of IC personnel to include five prior
fiscal years and to disaggregate data by IC element.
SUBTITLE C--OTHER MATTERS
Section 731. Technical amendments related to the Department of Energy
Section 731 provides technical corrections to certain
provisions regarding the Department of Energy's Office of
Intelligence and Counterintelligence.
Section 732. Securing energy infrastructure
Section 732 requires the Secretary of Energy (hereinafter
in this section, ``Secretary''), within 180 days of enactment
of this Act, to establish a two-year control systems
implementation pilot program within the National Laboratories.
This pilot program will partner with covered entities in the
energy sector to identify new security vulnerabilities, and for
purposes of researching, developing, testing, and implementing
technology platforms and standards in partnership with such
entities. Section 732 also requires the Secretary to establish
a working group composed of identified private and public
sector entities to evaluate the technology platforms and
standards for the pilot program, and develop a national cyber-
informed engineering strategy to isolate and defend covered
entities from security vulnerabilities. Section 732 requires
the Secretary, within 180 days after the date on which funds
are first disbursed, to submit to specified committees an
interim report that describes the pilot program's results,
provides a feasibility analysis, and describes the working
group's evaluations. Section 732 further requires the
Secretary, within two years of funding, to submit to the
aforementioned committees a progress report on the pilot
program and an analysis of the feasibility of the methods
studied, and a description of the working group's evaluation
results.
Section 733. Sense of Congress on WikiLeaks
Section 733 provides a Sense of Congress that WikiLeaks and
its senior leadership resemble a non-state hostile intelligence
service, often abetted by state actors, and should be treated
as such.
Section 734. Bug bounty programs
Section 734 directs the Secretary of DHS, in consultation
with the Secretary of Defense, to submit a strategic plan to
implement bug bounty programs at appropriate agencies and
departments of the United States Government. Section 734
further requires the plan to include an assessment of the
``Hack the Pentagon'' pilot program and subsequent bug bounty
programs. Section 734 also requires the plan to provide
recommendations on the feasibility of initiating bug bounty
programs across the United States Government.
Section 735. Sense of Congress on consideration of espionage activities
when considering whether or not to provide visas to foreign
individuals to be accredited to a United Nations mission in the
United States
Section 735 provides a Sense of Congress that, as to
foreign individuals to be accredited to a United Nations
mission, the Secretary of State should consider known and
suspected intelligence and espionage activities, including
activities constituting precursors to espionage, carried out by
such individuals against the United States, or against foreign
allies or partners of the United States. Section 735 further
provides that the Secretary of State should consider an
individual's status as a known or suspected intelligence
officer for a foreign adversary.
Section 736. Extension of provisions relating to declassification of
information in the public interest
Section 736 reauthorizes the Public Interest
Declassification Board administered by the National Archives
for a term of four years, expiring on December 31, 2022.
Section 737. Modification of authorities relating to the National
Intelligence University
Section 737 provides the National Intelligence University
with three authorities that certain other Department of Defense
educational institutions have regarding hiring faculty,
accepting research grants, and enrolling eligible private
sector individuals.
Committee Comments
Management of intelligence community workforce
The Committee repeats direction from the Intelligence
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 that IC elements should
build, develop, and maintain a workforce appropriately balanced
among its civilian, military, and contractor workforce sectors
to meet the missions assigned to it in law and by the
president. Starting in fiscal year 2019, the Committee will no
longer authorize position ceiling levels in the annual Schedule
of Authorizations.
The bill, in Section 103, again includes authority for IC
elements to adjust personnel ceilings by three percent, and by
ten percent if done for the purposes of contractor conversions.
These flexibilities are temporary management tools to optimize
the workforce this year that will cease in fiscal year 2020
when the IC can benefit from full implementation of the multi-
sector workforce initiative.
The Committee looks forward to working with the ODNI as it
develops an implementation strategy and sets standards for
workforce cost analysis tools.
Authorization of appropriated funds
The Committee is committed to ensuring that section 504 of
the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3094) (``Section
504''), first enacted in the Intelligence Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 1986, is consistently upheld. Section 504 assures
the American public that the congressional intelligence
committees have reviewed and authorized funding appropriated
for intelligence and intelligence related activities. While
specific, temporary waivers of Section 504 may be required in
extraordinary exigent circumstances, such temporary waivers
remain subject to subsequent review and permanent authorization
by the committees that Congress created for the specific
purpose of overseeing U.S. intelligence activities. Activities
authorized pursuant to section 503 of the National Security Act
of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3093) are of particular Committee interest.
Therefore, the Committee will continue to ensure that any
appropriation that affects activities within the Committees'
jurisdiction shall be reviewed and authorized in full
accordance with Section 504.
Countering Russian propaganda
The Committee supports the IC's role in countering Russian
propaganda and other active measures. The Committee is
committed to providing the appropriate legal authorities,
financial resources, and personnel necessary to address these
hostile acts. The Committee specifically finds that language
capabilities are important to the IC's efforts in countering
Russia's hostile acts. The Committee encourages the IC to
commit considerable resources in the future to bolstering
officers' existing Russian language skills, recruiting Russian
language speakers, and training officers in Russian, in
particular key technical language skills. This effort will
require strategic planning both in recruiting and rotating
officers through language training. The Committee expects to
see these priorities reflected in future IC budget requests.
Protection of the supply chain in intelligence community acquisition
decisions
The Committee continues to have significant concerns about
risks to the supply chain in IC acquisitions. The report to
accompany the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2017 directed the DNI to review and consider changes to
Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 801 (``Acquisition'') to
reflect issuance in 2013 of ICD 731 (``Supply Chain Risk
Management'') and issues associated with cybersecurity. It
specifically recommended the review examine whether to: expand
risk management criteria in the acquisition process to include
cyber and supply chain threats; require counterintelligence and
security assessments as part of the acquisition and procurement
process; propose and adopt new education requirements for
acquisition professionals on cyber and supply chain threats;
and factor in the cost of cyber and supply chain security. This
review was due in November 2017, with a report on the process
for updating ICD 801 in December 2017. The report was completed
on June 18, 2018.
As a follow-on to this review, the Committee directs three
other considerations to be addressed: changes in the Federal
Acquisition Regulation that may be necessary; how changes
should apply to all acquisition programs; and how security
risks must be addressed across development, procurement, and
operational phases of acquisition. The Committee further
directs the DNI to submit a plan to implement necessary changes
within 60 days of completion of this review.
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency use of VERA and VSIP
Authorities
The Committee encourages the use by the National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) of Voluntary Early
Retirement Authority (VERA) and Voluntary Separation Incentive
Program (VSIP) offers to meet its future goals of building a
workforce more attuned to automation of data production,
automation of analytic processes, and establishment of
development and operations (``DevOps''') software development
processes.
Therefore, the Committee directs the NGA to report to the
congressional intelligence committees, within 120 days of
enactment of this Act, on its use to date of VERA and VSIP
incentives, to include how they have been used to develop an
acquisition cadre skilled in ``DevOps''' software development
processes, as well as a plan for further use of these
incentives. The report should specify metrics for retooling its
workforce, including how it measures data literacy and
computational skills in potential hires, and an accounting of
the numbers of new hires who have met these higher standards.
Report on engagement of National Reconnaissance Office with university
community
The Committee recognizes that the survivability and
resiliency of United States satellites is critically important
to the United States intelligence and defense communities.
While the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) engages with the
university community in support of basic research and
developing an education workforce pipeline to help advance new
technologies and produce skilled professionals, it can do more
in this regard to focus on space survivability.
Therefore, the Committee directs the NRO to report, within
120 days of enactment of this Act, on NRO's current efforts and
future strategies to engage with university partners that are
strategically located, host secure information facilities, and
offer a strong engineering curriculum, with a particular focus
on space survivability and resiliency. This report should
provide a summary of NRO's current and planned university
engagement programs, levels of funding, and program research
and workforce objectives and metrics. The report should also
include an assessment of the strategic utility of chartering a
University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) in this domain.
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Facilities
Consistent with Section 2401 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, the Committee
authorizes the President's request for $381 million in Fiscal
Year 2018 for phase one construction activities. The Committee
recommends $447.8 million in Fiscal Year 2019 for phase two
construction activities of the Next National Geospatial-
Intelligence Agency (NGA) West (N2W) facility in St. Louis,
Missouri. The Committee is pleased that the second phase of
this $837.2 million project is included in the Fiscal Year 2019
President's budget.
Clarification of oversight responsibilities
The Committee reinforces the requirement for all IC
agencies funded by the National Intelligence Program to respond
in a full, complete, and timely manner to any request for
information made by a member of the congressional intelligence
committees. In addition, the Committee directs the DNI to issue
guidelines, within 90 days of enactment of this Act, to ensure
that the intent of Section 501 of the National Security Act of
1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091) is carried out.
Clarification on cooperation with investigation on Russian influence in
the 2016 election
The Committee continues to reinforce the obligation for all
IC agencies to cooperate in a full, complete, and timely manner
with the Committee's ongoing investigation into Russian
meddling in the 2016 Presidential election and cooperation with
the declassification process.
Supervisory feedback as part of continuous evaluation program
The Committee directs the DNI to review the results of
ongoing pilots regarding the use of supervisory feedback as
part of the periodic reinvestigation and continuous evaluation
process and report, within 180 days of enactment of this Act,
on the establishment of a policy for its use across the IC.
National security threats to critical infrastructure
The Committee is aware of significant threats to our
critical infrastructure and industrial control systems posed by
foreign adversaries. The sensitive nature of the information
related to these threats make the role of the IC of vital
importance to United States defensive efforts. The Committee
has grave concerns that current IC resources dedicated to
analyzing and countering these threats are neither sufficient
nor closely coordinated. The Committee includes provisions
within this legislation to address these concerns.
Framework for Cybersecurity and Intelligence Collection Doctrine
The Committee directs the ODNI, in coordination with
appropriate IC elements, to develop an analytic framework that
could support the eventual creation and execution of a
government-wide cybersecurity and intelligence collection
doctrine. The ODNI shall provide this framework, which may
contain a classified annex, to the congressional intelligence
committees, within 180 days of enactment of this Act.
This framework shall include:
1. An assessment of the current and medium-term cyber
threats to the protection of the United States'
national security systems and critical infrastructure;
2. Intelligence Community definitions of key
cybersecurity concepts, to include cyberespionage,
cyber theft, cyber acts of aggression, and cyber
deterrence;
3. Intelligence collection requirements to ensure
identification of cyber actors targeting U.S. national
security interests, and to inform policy responses to
cyber attacks and computer network operations directed
against the United States;
4. The Intelligence Community's methodology for
assessing the impacts of cyber attacks and computer
network operations incidents directed against the
United States, taking into account differing levels of
severity of incidents;
5. Capabilities that the IC could employ in response
to cyber attacks and computer network operations
incidents, taking into account differing levels of
severity of incidents;
6. A policy and architecture for sharing
cybersecurity-related intelligence with government,
private sector, and international partners, including
existing statutory and other authorities which may be
exercised in pursuit of that goal; and
7. Any necessary changes in IC authorities,
governance, technology, resources, and policy to
provide more capable and agile cybersecurity.
Inspector General of the Intelligence Community Role and
Responsibilities
The Inspector General of the Intelligence Community (IC IG)
was codified by the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2010 to ``conduct independent reviews investigations,
inspections, audits, and reviews on programs and activities
within the responsibility and authority of the Director of
National Intelligence'' and to lead the IC's IG community in
its activities. The Committee is concerned that this intent is
not fully exercised by the IC IG and reiterates the Congress's
intent that the IC IG's role be over all IC-wide activities in
addition to the ODNI. To support this intent, the Committee has
directed a number of requirements to strengthen the IC IG's
role and expects full cooperation from all Offices of Inspector
General across the IC.
The Committee also remains concerned about the level of
protection afforded to whistleblowers within the IC and the
level of insight congressional committees have into their
disclosures. It is the Committee's expectation that all Offices
of IG across the IC will fully cooperate with the direction
provided elsewhere in the bill to ensure both the DNI and the
congressional committees have more complete awareness of the
disclosures made to any IG about any National Intelligence
Program funded activity.
Space launch facilities
The Committee continues to believe it is critical to
preserve a variety of launch range capabilities to support
national security space missions, and encourages planned
launches such as the U.S. Air Force Orbital/Sub-Orbital Program
(OSP)-3 National Reconnaissance Office (NRO-111) mission, to be
launched in 2018 on a Minotaur 1 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional
Spaceport at Wallops Flight Facility. In the Intelligence
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, the Committee directed
a brief from the ODNI, in consultation with the Department of
Defense and the U.S. Air Force,on their plans to utilize state-
owned and operated spaceports, which leverage non-federal
public and private investments to bolster United States launch
capabilities and provide access to mid-to-low or polar-to-high
inclination orbits for national security missions.
The Committee directs that the ODNI supplement this brief
with how state investments in these spaceports may support
infrastructure improvements, such as payload integration and
launch capabilities, for national security launches.
Project MAVEN
Project MAVEN provides important capabilities for the
acceleration of ongoing efforts to integrate big data,
artificial intelligence, and machine learning, and ensure our
warfighters maintain an advantage over our adversaries.
Ensuring coordinated investment between the Department of
Defense and the Intelligence Community is specifically critical
for improving object detection, identification, and tracking of
targets.
Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense,
in coordination with relevant IC elements, to brief the
congressional intelligence and defense committees, within 90
days of enactment of this Act, on the following aspects of
Project MAVEN: a strategy for coordinating and validating
requirements; a methodology for cataloging data; development
and deployment of algorithms; a technology investment plan; and
a plan for fielding Project MAVEN capabilities.
Acquisition Research Center postings
The Committee supports a flexible National Reconnaissance
Office (NRO) acquisition process that allows the NRO to choose
the most appropriate contracting mechanism, whether for small
research and development efforts or large acquisitions. The
NRO's Acquisition Research Center (ARC), a classified
contracting and solicitation marketplace that NRO and other
agencies use, enables this flexible acquisition process for
classified efforts.
The Committee directs the NRO, within 60 days of enactment
of this Act, to brief the congressional intelligence and
defense committees on options for modifying ARC posting
procedures to ensure fair and open competition. Those options
should include ensuring that unclassified NRO solicitations are
posted on the unclassified FEDBIZOPS site, and identifying ways
to better utilize the ARC to encourage contract opportunities
for a more diverse industrial base that includes smaller and
non-traditional companies.
Ensuring strong strategic analytical tradecraft
The DHS's Office of I&A; has taken steps to improve the
quality of its analysis, to identify its core customers, and to
tailor its production to meet customer needs. The Committee
concurs with I&A;'s implementation of analytic standards and
review mechanisms that have improved the tradecraft behind I&A;
productions. The bedrock of these efforts has been the
development of a yearly program of analysis (POA) and key
intelligence questions, which are essential tools for providing
a roadmap and boundaries for the office's production efforts.
Therefore, the Committee directs the Office of I&A; to
continue to prioritize, develop and hone its strategic
intelligence capabilities and production, including the annual
development of a POA. Within 90 days of enactment of the Act,
and on an annual basis thereafter for two years, I&A; shall
brief the congressional intelligence committees on the
development and execution of its POA. These briefings should
provide an overview of the POA, how customer needs have been
incorporated into the POA, and an update on execution against
the POA.
Cyber/Counterintelligence analysis
DHS's Office of I&A;'s Counterintelligence Mission Center
analysis focuses on counterintelligence threats posed by
foreign technology companies and fills a gap in IC intelligence
production. Advanced technologies are increasingly ubiquitous
and necessary to the function of modern society. Consequently,
the scope of the threats from countries intent on using these
technologies as a vector for collecting intelligence from
within the United States will continue to expand. The Office of
I&A; is well positioned to conduct a niche analysis critical to
national security that combines foreign intelligence with
domestic threat information.
The committee strongly supports I&A;'s Counterintelligence
Mission Center's continued focus on these topics and the
increased resources the Fiscal Year 2019 dedicated to this
analysis. Therefore, the Committee directs the Office of I&A;,
in coordination with ODNI, to provide an update within 90 days
of enactment of this Act on its recent analytic production
related to counterintelligence threats posed by foreign
technology companies, including a review of the countries and
companies that present the greatest risks in this regard.
Intelligence support to the export control process
The Committee has significant concerns that China poses a
growing threat to United States national security, due in part
to its relentless efforts to acquire United States technology.
China purposely blurs the distinction between its military and
civilian activities through its policy of ``military-civilian
fusion,'' which compounds the risks of diversion of United
States technology to the Chinese military.
The Committee concludes that the United States Government
currently lacks a comprehensive policy and the tools needed to
address this problem. China exploits weaknesses in existing
U.S. mechanisms that are aimed at preventing dangerous
technology transfers, including the U.S. export control system,
which is run by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of
Industry and Security (BIS). The Committee has specific
concerns about the lack of adequate and effective IC support to
BIS's export license application review process and believes
more robust IC support could have prevented many of the ill-
advised technology transfers that have occurred in recent
years.
Therefore, the Committee directs the DNI to submit a plan,
within 120 days of enactment of this Act, to describe how the
IC will provide BIS with, at a minimum, basic but timely
analysis of any threat to U.S. national security posed by any
proposed export, re-export, or transfer of export-controlled
technology. The plan shall include detailed information on the
appropriate organizational structure, including how many IC
personnel would be required, where they would be located
(including whether they would be embedded at BIS to coordinate
IC support), and the amounts of necessary funding. In
formulating the plan, the DNI should study the ``National
Security Threat Assessment'' process that the National
Intelligence Council uses to inform the actions of the
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. The DNI
shall submit the plan to the congressional intelligence
committees in classified form.
Social media
The Committee encourages the IC, notably the FBI, to both
continue and enhance its efforts to assist in detecting,
understanding, and warning about foreign influence operations
using social media tools to target the United States.
Additionally, within the scope of the IC's authorities, and
with all necessary protections for U.S. person information, the
Committee encourages the IC to augment and prioritize these
ongoing efforts.
Trade-based money laundering
Threats to our national security posed by trade-based money
laundering are concerning. Therefore, the Committee directs the
DNI, within 90 days of enactment of this Act, to submit a
report to the congressional intelligence committees on these
threats, including an assessment of the severity of the threats
posed to the United States' national security by trade-based
money laundering conducted inside and outside the United
States; an assessment of the scope of the financial threats to
the U.S. economy and financial systems posed by trade-based
money laundering; a description of how terrorist financing and
drug trafficking organizations are advancing their illicit
activities through the use of licit trade channels; an
assessment of the adequacy of the systems and tools available
to the Federal Government for combating trade-based money
laundering; and a description and assessment of the current
structure and coordination between Federal agencies, as well as
with foreign governments, to combat trade-based money
laundering. The report shall be submitted in classified form
with an unclassified summary for public availability.
Committee Action
On June 26, 2018, a quorum being present, the Committee met
to consider the bill and amendments. The Committee took the
following actions:
Votes on amendments to committee bill, this report and the classified
annex
By unanimous consent, the Committee made the Chairman and
Vice Chairman's bill, together with the classified annexes for
Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019, the base text for purposes of
amendment.
By unanimous consent, the Committee agreed to amending the
bill's title to be the Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence
Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019.
By voice vote, the Committee adopted en bloc nine
amendments to the classified annex, as sponsored by: (1)
Chairman Burr and Vice Chairman Warner; (2) Senator Rubio, and
cosponsored by Senator Cornyn and Senator Manchin; (3) Senator
Rubio, and cosponsored by Senator Heinrich; (4) Senator King,
and cosponsored by Senator Cornyn; (5) Senator Cotton, and
cosponsored by Senator Rubio, Senator Cornyn, and Senator
Manchin; (6) Senator Manchin; (7) Senator Harris, and
cosponsored by Senator Heinrich; (8) Senator Harris; and (9)
Chairman Burr and Vice Chairman Warner, as to overall funding
adjustments.
By voice vote, the Committee adopted en bloc seven
amendments to the bill: (1) an amendment by Vice Chairman
Warner regarding information sharing for positions of trust;
(2) an amendment by Senator Wyden, and cosponsored by Senator
Rubio, Senator Heinrich, and Senator Harris, regarding state
election officials' clearance eligibility; (3) an amendment by
Senator Wyden, and cosponsored by Senator Heinrich, regarding
cyber protection for certain IC personnel; (4) an amendment by
Senator Wyden regarding protections for confidentiality of
whistleblower-related communications; (5) an amendment by
Senator Wyden regarding a study and report on the feasibility
of encrypting unclassified wireline and wireless telephone
calls; (6) an amendment by Senator Heinrich regarding the IC's
procurement authority to protect against supply chain risks;
and (7) an amendment by Senator Harris to expand and clarify IC
reporting on diversity.
By voice vote, the Committee adopted a second-degree
amendment by Chairman Burr to an amendment by Senator Cotton to
the classified annex.
By voice vote, the Committee adopted the amendment by
Senator Cotton to the classified annex, as modified by the
second-degree amendment by Chairman Burr.
By a vote of 6 ayes to 9 noes, the Committee did not adopt
an amendment by Senator Rubio, and cosponsored by Senator
Feinstein and Senator Cornyn, regarding creditable service for
federal retirement for certain individuals. The votes in person
or by proxy were as follows: Chairman Burr--no; Senator Risch--
aye; Senator Rubio--aye; Senator Collins--no; Senator Blunt--
no; Senator Lankford--no; Senator Cotton--aye; Senator Cornyn--
aye; Vice Chairman Warner--aye; Senator Feinstein--aye; Senator
Wyden--no; Senator Heinrich--no; Senator King--no; Senator
Manchin--no; and Senator Harris--no.
By voice vote, the Committee did not adopt an amendment by
Senator Lankford, regarding the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Court.
By a vote of 14 ayes to 1 no, the Committee adopted a
second-degree amendment by Senator King to an amendment by
Senator Wyden that prohibits IC officers nominated to Senate-
confirmed positions from making certain classification
determinations, and would have required advisory opinions from
the Public Interest Declassification Board. The second-degree
amendment struck the Public Interest Declassified Board
requirement. The votes in person or by proxy were as follows:
Chairman Burr--aye; Senator Risch--aye; Senator Rubio--aye;
Senator Collins--aye; Senator Blunt--aye; Senator Lankford--
aye; Senator Cotton--aye; Senator Cornyn--aye; Vice Chairman
Warner--aye; Senator Feinstein--aye; Senator Wyden--no; Senator
Heinrich--aye; Senator King--aye; Senator Manchin--aye; and
Senator Harris--aye.
By a vote of 14 ayes to 1 no, the Committee adopted the
amendment by Senator Wyden that prohibits IC officers nominated
to Senate-confirmed positions from making certain
classification determinations, as modified by the second-degree
amendment by Senator King. The votes in person or by proxy were
as follows: Chairman Burr--aye; Senator Risch--aye; Senator
Rubio--aye; Senator Collins--aye; Senator Blunt--aye; Senator
Lankford--aye; Senator Cotton--no; Senator Cornyn--aye; Vice
Chairman Warner--aye; Senator Feinstein--aye; Senator Wyden--
aye; Senator Heinrich--aye; Senator King--aye; Senator
Manchin--aye; and Senator Harris--aye.
By a vote of 6 ayes to 9 noes, the Committee did not adopt
an amendment by Senator Wyden, and cosponsored by Senator
Feinstein, Senator Heinrich, and Senator Harris, regarding IC
reporting on IC resources used for certain travel and vetting
initiatives. The votes in person or by proxy were as follows:
Chairman Burr--no; Senator Risch--no; Senator Rubio--no;
Senator Collins--no; Senator Blunt--no; Senator Lankford--no;
Senator Cotton--no; Senator Cornyn--no; Vice Chairman Warner--
aye; Senator Feinstein--aye; Senator Wyden--aye; Senator
Heinrich--aye; Senator King--aye; Senator Manchin--no; and
Senator Harris--aye.
By a vote of 7 ayes to 8 noes, the Committee did not adopt
an amendment by Senator Heinrich, regarding limitations on
intelligence sharing with the Republic of Korea and the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The votes in person or
by proxy were as follows: Chairman Burr--no; Senator Risch--no;
Senator Rubio--no; Senator Collins--no; Senator Blunt--no;
Senator Lankford--no; Senator Cotton--no; Senator Cornyn--no;
Vice Chairman Warner--aye; Senator Feinstein--aye; Senator
Wyden--aye; Senator Heinrich--aye; Senator King--aye; Senator
Manchin--aye; and Senator Harris--aye.
Senator Feinstein filed two amendments regarding the
Foreign Agents Registration Act that she did not offer.
Senator Wyden filed three amendments regarding the
appointment of an Executive Director for IC whistleblowing and
source protection, striking the Sense of Congress on WikiLeaks,
and modifying unauthorized disclosures reporting, respectively,
that he did not offer.
Vote to report the committee bill
The Committee voted to report the bill unanimously, as
amended, by a vote of 15 ayes and zero noes. The votes in
person or by proxy were as follows: Chairman Burr--aye; Senator
Risch--aye; Senator Rubio--aye; Senator Collins--aye; Senator
Blunt--aye; Senator Lankford--aye; Senator Cotton--aye; Senator
Cornyn--aye; Vice Chairman Warner--aye; Senator Feinstein--aye;
Senator Wyden--aye; Senator Heinrich--aye; Senator King--aye;
Senator Manchin--aye; and Senator Harris--aye.
By unanimous consent, the Committee authorized the staff to
make technical and conforming changes, following the completion
of the mark-up.
Compliance With Rule XLIV
Rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate requires
publication of a list of any ``congressionally directed
spending item, limited tax benefit, and limited tariff
benefit'' that is included in the bill or the committee report
accompanying the bill. Consistent with the determination of the
Committee not to create any congressionally directed spending
items or earmarks, none have been included in the bill, the
report to accompany it, or the classified schedule of
authorizations. The bill, report, and classified schedule also
contain no limited tax benefits or limited tariff benefits.
Estimate of Costs
Pursuant to paragraph 11(a)(3) of rule XXVI of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the Committee deems it impractical to
include an estimate of the costs incurred in carrying out the
provisions of this report due to the classified nature of the
operations conducted pursuant to this legislation. On June 28,
2018, the Committee transmitted this bill to the Congressional
Budget Office and requested an estimate of the costs incurred
in carrying out the unclassified provisions.
Evaluation of Regulatory Impact
In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee finds that no
substantial regulatory impact will be incurred by implementing
the provisions of this legislation.
ADDITIONAL VIEWS OF SENATORS WYDEN, HEINRICH, AND HARRIS
We have sought information from the DNI on whether and to
what extent Intelligence Community resources are intended to
support the implementation of travel and vetting-related
Executive Orders, ICE's ``Extreme Vetting Initiative,'' and any
expansion of vetting of DACA recipients, people granted
temporary protected status, or the general undocumented
immigrant population. We are working with Committee leadership
in obtaining this information in a timely manner.
ADDITIONAL VIEWS OF SENATOR WYDEN
The Fiscal Year 2019 Intelligence Authorization bill
includes eight important amendments I offered, three of which
carried over from the Fiscal Year 2018 bill.
The first amendment requires reporting from the Director of
National Intelligence, in coordination with the Department of
the Treasury, on the threat to the United States from Russian
money laundering. It has become apparent that following the
trail of illicit Russian money is a central component of any
counterintelligence investigation related to Russia. Russian
money laundering also threatens the U.S. financial system as
well as efforts to enforce sanctions and fight organized crime.
This reporting will bring together the resources of the
Intelligence Community and elements of the Treasury Department
under the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, such
as the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), so that
the government and the Congress can understand the complex and
hidden networks of shell companies and other money laundering
instruments overseas and here in the United States.
The second amendment prohibits the U.S.-Russia cyber
security unit announced by the President on July 9, 2017, or
any other U.S.-Russia cyber agreement, unless Congress has full
information about what the administration intends. The
President's statement that this unit will ensure that
``election hacking, & many other negative things, will be
guarded and safe''' raises numerous counterintelligence
concerns, given Russia's hacking in connection with the 2016
U.S. election. My amendment requires the DNI, at least 30 days
prior to any such agreement, to report on what intelligence
will be shared with Russia, the counterintelligence concerns
associated with any such agreement, and what will be done to
mitigate those concerns.
The third amendment carried over from the Fiscal Year 2018
bill requires a report on the threat that cyber security
vulnerabilities in telecommunications networks, including
Signaling System No. 7 (SS7), could result in foreign
government surveillance of Americans, including U.S. government
personnel. A Department of Homeland Security report from April
2017 highlighted the risks of SS7 vulnerabilities. My amendment
will require the whole of the Intelligence Community to report
on whether foreign government surveillance is occurring as a
result of this known vulnerability, and what the IC is doing
about it.
The Fiscal Year 2019 bill includes five new amendments I
offered. The first requires a report from the DNI, in
coordination with the Inspector General of the Intelligence
Community, on the protection of whistleblower-related
communications in the context of ``continuous evaluation'' of
persons with security clearances. ``Continuous evaluation,'' in
particular monitoring of communications, risks violating the
confidentiality of whistleblowers and chilling whistleblower
activities. Such a result would not only deprive the government
of knowledge of waste, fraud and abuse, but could lead to more
unauthorized disclosures, the very problem the continuous
evaluation policy is intended to address.
I offered two amendments that will help protect the
unclassified communications of Intelligence Community
personnel. The first, co-sponsored by Senator Heinrich, permits
the DNI to provide cyber protection support for the personal
devices and accounts of Intelligence Community personnel who
are especially vulnerable to cyber attacks and hostile
collection activities. The second amendment requires the DNI to
conduct a study on the feasibility of encrypting unclassified
communications among Intelligence Community personnel.
Intelligence Community personnel should never communicate
classified information through unclassified channels and should
limit business to official devices and accounts. Nonetheless,
these amendments recognize the reality that unclassified and
personal communications may be of significant interest to our
adversaries and should thus be secured to the greatest extent
possible.
The bill includes an amendment I offered with Senators
Rubio, Heinrich, and Harris that removed the underlying bill's
limits on the number of state election officials granted
security clearances. As states and localities work to combat
the evolving cyber threat to our election infrastructure, they
will need additional assistance from the federal government,
including the provision of classified threat information. It is
thus critical that the Department of Homeland Security and the
states have flexibility in ensuring that the people who need
the information to safeguard our elections receive it.
Finally, the bill includes an amendment I offered with
Senators King, Heinrich, and Harris that prohibits Intelligence
Community officers who are nominated to Senate-confirmed
positions from making classification decisions about
themselves. The amendment addresses a clear conflict of
interest problem in which the officer could engage in selective
classification and declassification in a manner that helps him
or her get confirmed. The amendment gives the decision to the
DNI, or the Principal Deputy DNI should the nominated officer
be the DNI him or herself. It also requires a report to the
congressional intelligence committees on the reasons for the
decision. The amendment originally required an advisory opinion
from the Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB), which
would have added an independent perspective to the process.
While I am disappointed that this requirement was removed, the
amendment is nonetheless an important step forward.
I remain concerned with a provision in the bill, carried
over from Fiscal Year 2018, stating that it is the Sense of
Congress ``that WikiLeaks and the senior leadership of
WikiLeaks resemble a non-state hostile intelligence service
often abetted by state actors and should be treated as such a
service by the United States.'' My concern with this language
does not relate to the actions of WikiLeaks, which, as I have
stressed in the past, was part of a direct attack on our
democracy. My concern is that the use of the novel phrase
``non-state hostile intelligence service'' may have legal,
constitutional, and policy implications, particularly should it
be applied to journalists inquiring about secrets.
Changes to Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee finds that it is
necessary to dispense with the requirement of paragraph 12 to
expedite the business of the Senate.
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