Senate Select Committee on Intelligence advances legislation authorizing increased funding, oversight

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has advanced legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (D-ME) that authorizes funding, provides legal authorities, and improves congressional Intelligence community oversight.

The committee passed the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (S. 4503) by a unanimous 16-0 vote.

“The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 will enhance the Intelligence Community’s ability to arm policy-makers with the necessary information and tools to defend U.S. interests against foreign adversaries,” Collins said. “The bill bolsters intelligence support for Ukraine, improves the timeliness of the security clearance process, takes a major step forward to promote cybersecurity, and increases congressional oversight of the Intelligence Community.”

Bill provisions include improving Ukraine’s intelligence amid the country defending its territorial integrity and sovereignty since Russia’s second invasion; establishing cybersecurity minimum standards for classified networks and systems; ensuring continued support to the victims of anomalous health incidents or Havana Syndrome and maintaining continued oversight over the Intelligence Community investigations into the causes such health incidents; and bolstering congressional oversight of Intelligence Community activities by mandating the Director of National Intelligence submit an annual report describing actions to address all open recommendations from the Comptroller General of the United States (GAO).

“I look forward to continuing to work with Chairman Mark Warner, Vice Chairman Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and CIA Director William Burns to make progress on each of these important initiatives,” Collins said.