U.S. House Approves Murphy-Led Measures That Strengthen National Security

Statement

The U.S. House of Representatives today approved three measures authored by U.S. Congressman Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park, Fla., as part of the bipartisan annual intelligence authorization bill. The first measure requires the intelligence community to assess the threat to U.S. national security posed by deepfake technology, which is the manipulation of video and audio to portray an individual as having done or said something that never happened. The second measure introduced by Murphy, the POISE Act, is legislation that would deter U.S. executive branch officials, including the president, from recklessly sharing sensitive intelligence with nations like Russia, Iran, North Korea and China. The third measure requires the intelligence community to prepare an assessment of how Iran's presence in Syria threatens U.S. interests and U.S. allies like Israel.

"This bipartisan bill supports the quiet heroes in our intelligence community who work to keep our nation safe," said Murphy, a former national security specialist at the Pentagon. "I am proud the bill includes three measures I authored that will strengthen our national security and help keep us safe by better preparing the U.S. to combat the use of deepfake technology by our foreign adversaries, safeguarding our nation's most sensitive secrets, and protecting U.S. and Israeli interests from Iranian aggression."

Murphy has been a leading voice in Congress on the looming threat to American security and democracy from the use of deepfake technology by our nation's adversaries. This technology now enables anyone with a computer, internet access, and technical skills to create fabricated, and relatively convincing, video and audio recordings. It is rapidly evolving and individuals will soon be able to create highly-realistic video and audio content. At a time when Americans are already being inundated--especially online--by a flood of false or misleading information, deepfake technology has the potential to make it even harder for the American public to trust what it sees and hears.

"In today's world, perhaps the biggest national security threat we face comes from authoritarian governments using new technologies to spread disinformation, sow discord, create divisions, and cause the American people to lose faith in our democratic institutions. Our government must have a comprehensive strategy in place to combat this threat," added Murphy.

Murphy has also been a vocal champion of the U.S.-Israel alliance. Her second measure would require the intelligence community to assess the threat posed to U.S. and Israeli interests by Iran's efforts to establish a long-term presence in civil war-wracked Syria. This presence has already led to repeated confrontations with Israel.

Murphy's final measure, the POISE Act, was co-authored with Congressman Jim Himes (D-Conn.), a member of the House Intelligence Committee. The bill stems from a 2017 incident in which President Trump disclosed highly-sensitive information to senior Russian officials during a White House meeting. This information had been entrusted to the United States by a key ally, Israel. The Murphy-Himes measure requires Congress to be notified when a member of the executive branch, including the president, discloses sensitive information to an "adversary foreign government" outside of established intelligence channels. The bill defines "adversary foreign government" as North Korea, Iran, China, Russia, and Cuba.

"It requires constant vigilance for the United States to remain a step ahead of our adversaries,"said Congressman Himes. "We have the most highly trained intelligence community and the most advanced technologies, but we need to ensure, as a matter of national security, that the information we're gathering is not compromised to our geopolitical rivals."

"When sensitive information is disclosed outside of established intelligence channels, our national security and the lives of our nation's intelligence officials are put at risk," said House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (CA). "I am proud to support Congresswoman Murphy and Congressman Himes' POISE Act, which was included as part of the Intelligence Authorization Act to ensure that Congress is notified immediately if the executive branch improperly discloses sensitive information to foreign adversaries."

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