WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Mike Thompson and three other congressmen introduced a bipartisan bill aimed to strengthen oversight and improve accountability of the intelligence community.
The Intelligence Oversight and Accountability Act would require that any Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) decision, order or opinion that includes denial of an Intelligence Community (IC) request, 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, according to a release by Austin Vevurka, a media representative for Thompson.
Currently, when the FISC or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review issues a decision, order, or opinion, the attorney general must determine if the issue considered by the FISC includes a “significant construction or interpretation of the law.”?If?the attorney general?determines?the decision is significant, that information must be shared with Congress.? However, he determines that the decision is not “significant,” he is not required to share the information with Congress.
“This bill helps us meet that responsibility by strengthening Congress” aggressive oversight of our Intelligence Community, Thompson said, according to the statement. “Through the oversight and accountability provided by this bill, we can help make sure our Intelligence Community operates within legal and constitutional boundaries while they continue their brave work to keep Americans safe.”
The bill would require the attorney general 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, according to Vervurka.
Removing discretionary elements regarding?what Congress should and should not receive from the FISC, would increase the congressional oversight of Intelligence Community tools and programs to ensure their proper use, Vevurka stated.
The bill would also allow Congress to properly assess whether information?collected pursuant to, or programs authorized by, the PATRIOT Act or FISA, are being implemented in a manner consistent with congressional intent and are compliant with congressional notice requirements, according to the release.?
In addition, the bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to include enhanced?summaries?of the FISC”s actions to make the findings involved in these matters more accessible to Congress.
