Director of National Intelligence Statutory Authorities: Status and Proposals. Updated April 17, 2008; Congressional rept

摘要

In passing the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-458) in 2004, Congress approved the most comprehensive reform of the U.S. Intelligence Community since it was created over 50 years ago. Principal among enacted changes was the establishment of a new position of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to manage the Intelligence Community (IC). Some observers have questioned whether the act provides the DNI the authority necessary to effectively implement Congress's 2004 intelligence reforms. Others assert that the DNI's authorities are significantly stronger than those of the former Director of Central Intelligence (DCI), but suggest that the DNI has failed to aggressively assert the authorities he has been provided. In 2007, DNI Michael McConnell acknowledged his authorities are stronger than those of the DCI and conceded that he had not issued certain guidance to the IC clarifying the new authorities. Nevertheless, he argued effectively managing the IC would require additional authorities on top of the ones Congress agreed to in 2004. In response to these entreaties, the Senate Intelligence Committee further strengthened the DNI authorities in the FY2008 Intelligence Authorization bill (S. 1538; S.Rept. 110-75), authorizing the DNI to conduct accountability reviews of significant IC failures, address interagency information sharing deficiencies, and approve interagency funding of national intelligence centers. Similarly, but on a more limited basis, the House Intelligence Committee also strengthened certain DNI authorities in its version of the FY2008 authorization bill. The Committee, however, said it was disappointed that the DNI had not assumed a more directive role in coordinating the IC. Despite these differences in emphasis, Senate and House intelligence committee conferees agreed to accord the DNI several new authorities (H.Rept. 110-478).