Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Schiff Announces Committee Unanimously Passed FY 2017 Intelligence Authorization Act

Press Release

The Intelligence Committee advanced the bipartisan Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 by unanimous voice vote at a markup this morning. The annual IAA ensures that the programs and activities of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), including Department of Defense (DoD) intelligence elements, are authorized in law and optimally resourced to protect the nation from threats at home and abroad. Equally important, this critical piece of legislation also ensures rigorous congressional oversight of the IC, including over its most sensitive aspects.

This year's IAA authorizes intelligence funding nearly equal to the FY17 President's Budget request, which is approximately the same as the FY16 enacted budget level. The FY17 IAA's Base budget authorization is nearly equal to the President's request, and the Overseas Contingency Operations authorization is roughly 1.5% above the request. It provides substantial and appropriate oversight of the IC by trimming unnecessary funding and reprioritizing resource allocation; adding money to underfunded programs; and providing congressional direction to improve processes, gain efficiencies, and ensure greater transparency and accountability within the IC. It also fences significant amounts of funding to better ensure continuous IC accountability throughout the year.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, stated after the markup: "Our nation, and the intelligence community that protects us, face a myriad and diffuse set of global threats and bad actors that try to harm Americans and our interests on a daily basis. This year's intelligence authorization bill gives our intelligence community the resources, authorities, and capabilities it needs to protect our nation, while also conducting thorough and tenacious oversight and ensuring our privacy and civil liberties are protected and enhanced. Chairman Nunes and I, along with all of the members of the committee, crafted this bill in a bipartisan fashion, and I look forward to supporting it on the Floor."

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