Press Releases

Today, as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, the House approved the Fiscal Year 2023 Intelligence Authorization Act, which authorizes funds to counter hard targets, protect the U.S. from counterintelligence threats, enhance the Intelligence Community’s recruitment and retention processes and adoption of emerging technologies, and strengthen congressional oversight. The measure was passed on a bipartisan basis, 350-80. 

“This bill represents a bipartisan, bicameral agreement between the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, facilitating improved operations, resources and capabilities within the Intelligence Community (IC) to improve our national security and better protect America, our allies and allied partners,” said Ranking Member Turner. “The IAA will modernize the IC, hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for its human rights abuses, monitor cooperation between Russia and China and evaluate our response to Ukraine. The bill also holds the Administration accountable to Congress by withholding funding from the IC until fulfillment of numerous Congressional directed actions. This vital piece of legislation establishes proper oversight and equips our IC to counter the national security threats posed by our adversaries like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.”

“I’m pleased to see this year’s Intelligence Authorization Act pass the House,” said Chairman Schiff. “From strengthening our ability to counter hard targets to honing congressional oversight, this package provides for a suite of important, bipartisan priorities that will allow the intelligence community to function at its highest level, and protect the interests and security of every American. I thank Ranking Member Turner, committee staff, and all members for their important contributions to this year’s IAA – and I look forward to seeing it cross the finish line.”

The legislation advances significant bipartisan Committee priorities, including:

Monitoring threats posed by China. This year’s IAA includes several provisions to monitor and respond to threats posed by China. Specifically, it requires the DNI to prepare and publish an unclassified report on the wealth and illegal activities of the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party. It also requires the DNI to report on the risk posed by telecommunications companies with ties to China that either operate in the U.S. or service IC personnel.

Tracking China’s abuse of Uyghurs. Under the 2023 IAA, the DNI must annually publish an unclassified report on detention and forced labor camps in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, including information related to the number and location of camps, victims, personnel, funding, and participating Chinese companies.

Mitigating counterintelligence threats from foreign commercial spyware. Foreign commercial spyware poses a significant counterintelligence threat to U.S. government officials. In response, this year’s IAA includes several provisions aimed at tracking and mitigating any potential breaches or vulnerabilities that endangers America’s national security.

Tracking Russian atrocities in Ukraine. Since the outset of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Intelligence Committee has been working with the IC and the Biden administration to catalog war crimes committed by Vladimir Putin's forces. This year's IAA will require the DNI to designate a senior official of the ODNI to serve as the IC coordinator for Russian atrocities accountability in order to identify and, as appropriate, disseminate intelligence relating to Russian atrocities in Ukraine.

Monitoring cooperation between China and Russia. Under the 2023 IAA, the DNI must submit periodic reports on China’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including steps China has taken to help Russia evade sanctions. Beyond Ukraine, the 2023 IAA also directs the IC to assess China and Russia's activities in Latin America and the Caribbean, paying careful attention to any efforts to bolster their influence in these regions.

Neutralizing proliferation of Iran’s unmanned aircraft systems. This year’s IAA requires the DNI to designate a coordinator for IC efforts to neutralize the proliferation of Iran-origin unmanned aircraft systems, to implement a common approach with Five Eyes partners toward this threat, and to intensify cooperation with Israel.

Evaluating the strength of sanctions on Russia. This year's IAA requires the DNI to provide periodic assessments of the sanctions imposed on Russia, so policymakers have the information needed to make those sanctions as effective and evasion-proof as possible.

Preventing the misuse of American talent. Building on a provision in the 2022 IAA, this year’s package prohibits former IC employees from performing work for the governments of – or a company controlled by – China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, or Syria.

Recruiting the next generation of Intelligence Officers. In order to bolster recruitment of IC personnel, the 2023 IAA strengthens the Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholars Program, a DNI-administered, highly-utilized program that reimburses the cost of academic expenses incurred by IC officers in critical fields.

Bolstering intelligence-related opportunities at minority-serving institutions. In order to foster a diverse workforce, this year’s IAA directs the DNI to develop a plan to promote intelligence-related engineering, research, and development activities at minority-serving institutions.

Clarifying whistleblower processes and protections. Whistleblowers can play an essential role in improving congressional oversight of the IC. The 2023 IAA clarifies the definition of matters of “urgent concern” that whistleblowers can disclose to the congressional intelligence committees. In addition, this year’s IAA strengthens protections for contractor employees in the IC from reprisal for lawfully disclosing information to appropriate individuals.

Supporting Central Intelligence Agency personnel. This year’s IAA charges the Director of the CIA with establishing an Office of Wellness and Workforce Support to support the well-being of current and former CIA employees, and other individuals affiliated with the Agency. This new office will provide assistance and advice on available programs and benefits, including those offered to anomalous health incident (AHI) victims under the HAVANA Act.

Assessing anomalous health incidents. As members of the IC continue to suffer the effects of AHIs, the 2023 IAA directs the Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research (INR) to submit a report to congressional intelligence committees on its assessment of AHI events, including potential causation.

Adopting emerging technologies. The 2023 IAA authorizes and directs the IC to improve the way it adopts emerging technologies, with particular emphasis on creating conditions for smaller companies to effectively compete with large contractors.

Unraveling the mystery of UAPs. This year, the Intelligence Committee delivered on a promise to hold the first public hearing on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) in more than half a century. In order to support the work to unravel the UAP mystery, the 2023 IAA directs the Secretary of Defense to establish the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office to standardize the collection, reporting, storage, and analysis of UAP incidents.

Click here to read the full FY23 IAA highlights.

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