THOMPSON: ALL INTEL COMMITTEE MEMBERS CO-AUTHOR BIPARTISAN BILL TO STRENGTHEN OVERSIGHT, IMPROVE ACCOUNTABILITY OF INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
September 27, 2013
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA-05), a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), announced today that all members of HPSCI have signed on as co-authors of H.R. 3103, Thompson's bipartisan Intelligence Oversight and Accountability Act of 2013. H.R. 3103 requires that any Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) decision, order or opinion that includes a denial of an IC request, a modification of an IC request, or results in a change to any legal interpretation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) be shared with Congress.
“Every member of the Intelligence Committee - Republican and Democrat - has signed on in support of this bill because it responsibly strengthens Congressional oversight and improves accountability of our Intelligence Community,” said Thompson. “Through this increased oversight and accountability, we can help make sure our Intelligence Community operates within legal and constitutional boundaries while they continue their brave work to keep Americans safe.”
Currently, when the FISC or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review issues a decision, order, or opinion, the Attorney General (AG) must determine if the issue considered by the FISC includes a “significant construction or interpretation of the law.” If the AG determines that the decision is significant, that information must be shared with Congress. However, if the AG determines that the decision is not “significant,” the AG is not required to share the information with Congress.
H.R. 3103 requires the AG to share all FISC decisions, orders or opinions that include a denial of an IC request, a modification of an IC request, or results in a change to any legal interpretation of FISA with Congress.
Removing discretionary elements regarding what Congress should and should not receive from the FISC, will increase the Congressional oversight of Intelligence Community tools and programs to ensure their proper use.
The bill also will allow Congress to properly assess whether information collected pursuant to, or programs authorized by, the PATRIOT Act or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), are being implemented in a manner consistent with Congressional intent and are compliant with Congressional notice requirements.
In addition, the bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to include enhanced summaries of the FISC's decisions, orders, and opinions to make the facts, issues, and legal reasoning involved in these matters more accessible to Congress.
Thompson was joined by U.S. Reps. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ-02), Luis Gutierrez (D-Il-04), and J. Randy Forbes (R-VA-04) in introducing the bill earlier this month.
H.R. 3103 has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, on which both Gutierrez and Forbes are senior members, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), on which Thompson, LoBiondo and Gutierrez are senior members.
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and chairs the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
“Every member of the Intelligence Committee - Republican and Democrat - has signed on in support of this bill because it responsibly strengthens Congressional oversight and improves accountability of our Intelligence Community,” said Thompson. “Through this increased oversight and accountability, we can help make sure our Intelligence Community operates within legal and constitutional boundaries while they continue their brave work to keep Americans safe.”
Currently, when the FISC or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review issues a decision, order, or opinion, the Attorney General (AG) must determine if the issue considered by the FISC includes a “significant construction or interpretation of the law.” If the AG determines that the decision is significant, that information must be shared with Congress. However, if the AG determines that the decision is not “significant,” the AG is not required to share the information with Congress.
H.R. 3103 requires the AG to share all FISC decisions, orders or opinions that include a denial of an IC request, a modification of an IC request, or results in a change to any legal interpretation of FISA with Congress.
Removing discretionary elements regarding what Congress should and should not receive from the FISC, will increase the Congressional oversight of Intelligence Community tools and programs to ensure their proper use.
The bill also will allow Congress to properly assess whether information collected pursuant to, or programs authorized by, the PATRIOT Act or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), are being implemented in a manner consistent with Congressional intent and are compliant with Congressional notice requirements.
In addition, the bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to include enhanced summaries of the FISC's decisions, orders, and opinions to make the facts, issues, and legal reasoning involved in these matters more accessible to Congress.
Thompson was joined by U.S. Reps. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ-02), Luis Gutierrez (D-Il-04), and J. Randy Forbes (R-VA-04) in introducing the bill earlier this month.
H.R. 3103 has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, on which both Gutierrez and Forbes are senior members, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), on which Thompson, LoBiondo and Gutierrez are senior members.
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and chairs the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
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