Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019

Floor Speech

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Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal years 2018 and 2019. This bill recognizes the critical work that every member of the intelligence community performs to protect our Nation: first, by enhancing resources and authorities for our highest priority intelligence initiatives, and secondly, by enforcing and reinforcing the principles of good governance, transparency, and accountability to the American people.

Mr. Chairman, I am a strong advocate for transparency, which is a challenge for the intelligence community because of the need to protect sensitive sources and equities, but a challenge that can be met. One groundbreaking example is the unclassified January 2017 intelligence community assessment that notified Americans about the Russian attack on our democracy in the 2016 election.

This bill directs the intelligence community to continue public awareness reporting related to election security because the threat from Russia is still ongoing.

As a ranking member on the HPSCI Subcommittee on Department of Defense Intelligence and Overhead Architecture for the last 3 years, one of my priorities is to ensure that the United States achieves and maintains a leadership position in next-generation technologies, especially in space.

Space is an emerging battleground, so it is imperative for our national security that America maintains a strategic advantage in space as well as we do on the ground and at sea. Over the last year, the subcommittee has continued our dialogue with the intelligence community about its accomplishments, but also the challenges it faces and the resources it needs to meet these challenges.

I am pleased to report that this bill includes provisions that strengthen our Nation's access and resilience in space by investing in next-generation technologies and assets.

Mr. Chairman, I am also a strong believer that the success of our Nation's intelligence operation hinges on our most important asset: our people. As our intelligence missions and objectives continue to evolve, we will undoubtedly require a more diverse workforce in the intelligence community to meet our needs. We must work together to build and promote an intelligence community that is truly representative of the rich diversity and inclusive society that makes our Nation great.

In order to more effectively address these emerging and ongoing threats, we need an agile workforce with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, skill sets, and talents. For that reason, Congress has invested in American universities and colleges to provide all students with the skills that they need to serve in our intelligence community.

As smart investors, we want to see that the investment is accomplishing the objectives and encouraging qualified graduates to apply to join the intelligence community. This bill directs the Director of National Intelligence to take a more active role in ensuring that one program, in particular, the Intelligence Community Centers for Academic Excellence, achieves that objective of diversity.

I also strongly support the Hastings amendment that directs the intelligence community to intensify recruitment outreach at every corner of our Nation. Encouraging geographical diversity in the intelligence community will naturally also enhance racial, gender, cultural, and economic diversity.

I want to see that every interested student, whether in a big city or a small town, is aware of the career opportunities in the intelligence community. It is a path that is most important.

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