2007 Intelligence Authorization Act - Senate Intelligence Committee

S.3237

An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2007 for the intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Intelligence Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes

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This bill is working its way through the Committee apparatus, and is apt to emerge for debate at some point in the future. A bit of a leading indicator here, as to the issues that this bill will raise for debate were raised and voted on in the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The entire report linked below is a good read. For the purposes of gaining insight into the politics involved, this post contains only a summary of the amendments and voting thereon.

Hat tip to The Federation of American Scientists Project on Government Secrecy for the story and for hosting a copy of the Senate report.

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Senate Report 109-259, May 25, 2006
http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2006_rpt/srpt109-259.pdf

Amendments to committee bill

On May 23, 2006, by a vote of 9 ayes and 6 noes, the Committee agreed to an amendment by Senator Feinstein to modify certain requirements for notifications to Congress under Sections 502 and 503 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 413a & 413b) and to place an additional limitation on the availability of funds for intelligence and intelligence-related activities under Section 504 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 414). See Sections 304 and 307 of the Act. The votes in person or by proxy were as follows: Chairman Roberts - no; Senator Hatch - no; Senator DeWine - no; Senator Bond - no; Senator Lott - no; Senator Snowe - aye; Senator Hagel - aye; Senator Chambliss - no; Vice Chairman Rockefeller - aye; Senator Levin - aye; Senator Feinstein - aye; Senator Wyden - aye; Senator Bayh - aye; Senator Mikulski - aye; Senator Feingold - aye.

On May 23, 2006, by a vote of 9 ayes and 6 noes, the Committee agreed to an amendment by Senator Levin to require a report by the DNI on compliance by the Intelligence Community with the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 (Pub. L. No. 109-148, Div. A, Title X (Dec. 30, 2005)). See Section 313 of the Act. The votes in person or by proxy were as follows: Chairman Roberts - no; Senator Hatch - no; Senator DeWine - no; Senator Bond - no; Senator Lott - no; Senator Snowe - aye; Senator Hagel - aye; Senator Chambliss - no; Vice Chairman Rockefeller - aye; Senator Levin - aye; Senator Feinstein - aye; Senator Wyden - aye; Senator Bayh - aye; Senator Mikulski - aye; Senator Feingold - aye.

On May 23, 2006, by a vote of 9 ayes and 6 noes, the Committee agreed to an amendment by Senator Wyden to increase the penalties applicable to certain violations of Section 601 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 421), relating to the unauthorized disclosure of the identity of a covert agent. See Section 308 of the Act. The votes in person or by proxy were as follows: Chairman Roberts - no; Senator Hatch - no; Senator DeWine - no; Senator Bond - no; Senator Lott - no; Senator Snowe - aye; Senator Hagel - aye; Senator Chambliss - no; Vice Chairman Rockefeller - aye; Senator Levin - aye; Senator Feinstein - aye; Senator Wyden - aye; Senator Bayh - aye; Senator Mikulski - aye; Senator Feingold - aye.

On May 23, 2006, by a vote of 8 ayes and 7 noes, the Committee agreed to an amendment by Senator Levin (for himself and Senator Hagel) that would require certain officials to provide to Congress requested intelligence documents and information within 15 days, unless the President refuses to provide the documents or information based on an assertion of a privilege pursuant to the Constitution. See Section 108 of the Act. The votes in person or by proxy were as follows: Chairman Roberts - no; Senator Hatch - no; Senator DeWine - no; Senator Bond - no; Senator Lott - no; Senator Snowe - no; Senator Hagel - aye; Senator Chambliss - no; Vice Chairman Rockefeller - aye; Senator Levin - aye; Senator Feinstein - aye; Senator Wyden - aye; Senator Bayh - aye; Senator Mikulski - aye; Senator Feingold - aye.

On May 23, 2006, by a vote of 9 ayes and 6 noes, the Committee agreed to an amendment by Senator Levin to require the DNI to submit a classified, detailed report to the Members of the intelligence committees concerning each clandestine prison or detention facility, if any, currently or formerly operated by the United States Government, regardless of location, at which detainees in the global war on terrorism are or have been held. See Section 314 of the Act. The votes in person or by proxy were as follows: Chairman Roberts - no; Senator Hatch - no; Senator DeWine - no; Senator Bond - no; Senator Lott - no; Senator Snowe - aye; Senator Hagel - aye; Senator Chambliss - no; Vice Chairman Rockefeller - aye; Senator Levin - aye; Senator Feinstein - aye; Senator Wyden - aye; Senator Bayh - aye; Senator Mikulski - aye; Senator Feingold - aye.

On May 23, 2006, by a vote of 9 ayes and 6 noes, the Committee agreed to an amendment by Senator Wyden to mandate the public disclosure of the aggregate amount of funding requested, authorized, and appropriated for the National Intelligence Program for each fiscal year after fiscal year 2007. See Section 107 of the Act. The votes in person or by proxy were as follows: Chairman Roberts - no; Senator Hatch - no; Senator DeWine - no; Senator Bond - no; Senator Lott - no; Senator Snowe - aye; Senator Hagel - aye; Senator Chambliss - no; Vice Chairman Rockefeller - aye; Senator Levin - aye; Senator Feinstein - aye; Senator Wyden - aye; Senator Bayh - aye; Senator Mikulski - aye; Senator Feingold - aye.

On May 23, 2006, by a vote of 7 ayes and 8 noes, the Committee rejected an amendment by Senator Feingold to require a report on past intelligence activities not previously notified to all Members serving on the intelligence committees at the time the activities were undertaken. The votes in person or by proxy were as follows: Chairman Roberts - no; Senator Hatch - no; Senator DeWine - no; Senator Bond - no; Senator Lott - no; Senator Snowe - aye; Senator Hagel - no; Senator Chambliss - no; Vice Chairman Rockefeller - aye; Senator Levin - aye; Senator Feinstein - aye; Senator Wyden - aye; Senator Bayh - aye; Senator Mikulski - no; Senator Feingold - aye.