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 The FY 2016 Intelligence Authorization bill today passed the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence by a voice vote after a markup this morning.  The annual Intelligence Authorization Act is a critical oversight tool of the Committee that ensures our Intelligence Community has the resources it needs to protect our country, and it allows the Committee to review all intelligence programs and make corrections as necessary. The bill which passed today provides overall funding at about 1% below the President’s FY16 budget request, but about 7% above the FY15 enacted budget level.  This bill makes cuts to less effective programs, adds money to underfunded programs, and requires that intelligence agencies regularly inform the Committee of efforts to increase efficiencies, which ensures that allocated funds are spent responsibly.

Despite supporting its passage in Committee, Committee Democrats still maintain two strong reservations with the bill, and they remain committed to working to improve the bill as it goes to the Floor later this month and to removing provisions that would prevent their support for the final bill. 

After the markup, Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA) stated: “At a time when our nation faces a diverse and diffuse set of global threats that can harm Americans and American interests, it is all the more important that we give our intelligence communities the resources, authorities and capabilities they need to protect our nation, while also conducting thorough and tenacious oversight.  I believe this bill does so, and appreciate the bipartisan approach taken by Chairman Nunes to crafting this bill.  As this bill moves to the House floor, I look forward to addressing some outstanding issues – like the use of OCO funds and restrictions on closing the Guantanamo Bay prison – and making this bill even better.”

Some highlights of the bill include:

• Sustains critical capabilities to fight terrorism and counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;
• Continued support of our overhead architecture by increasing funding to the most critical space; investing in space protection and resiliency; and preserving investments in the most cutting edge technologies;
• Promoting partner service capabilities;
• Providing resources to safeguard against losing valuable SIGINT collection while enhancing oversight of these and other alternative sources of intelligence;
• Oversight of CIA’s reorganization process and enhancements to HUMINT capabilities;
• Funds initiatives to thwart cyberattacks and insider threats;
• Oversight of Defense Special Operations Forces activities worldwide; and
• Requires a report every 60 days on foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq.

Committee Democratic Members offered substantive amendments which helped make the IAA bill better. Specifically: 

• Ms. Sewell introduced an amendment to ensure enhanced support for diversity programs by directing additional efforts to expand programs to rural universities;
• Mr. Carson authored provisions that clarify FBI resource allocation against domestic and foreign threats, and FBI and DNI roles in countering violent extremism;
• Ms. Speier authored language to provide greater oversight of the IC’s liaison relationships;
• Mr. Quigley added a provision regarding support to Ukraine; and
• Mr. Swalwell authored language to clarify that DOE National Labs can work with state and local government recipients of homeland security grants. 

Two issues remain that Mr. Schiff and his Democratic colleagues believe must be addressed as the bill makes it way to the Floor are:

• While the IAA makes appropriate cuts to some programs and add wisely to others, it does so using short-term Overseas Contingency Operations funding to evade the Budget Control Act (BCA) caps; and
• The IAA places new restrictions on closing the prison in Guantanamo Bay. The Committee rejected an amendment by Mr. Schiff to strike these provisions.

To read Mr. Schiff’s remarks in support of his amendment to strip the language related to restrictions on closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay, please click here. To read to Minority Views on the FY16 please click here. To read Ranking Member Schiff’s opening statement offered at the markup, please click here.