Former CIA Officer Supports Intelligence Community

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Will Hurd (TX-23), who spent nearly a decade as an undercover officer in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), was proud to support reauthorization of the intelligence community (IC) which includes the CIA and the fifteen other member agencies that perform intelligence activities to keep Americans safe. Hurd was proud to support this critical piece of national security legislation. This bill accomplishes the following:

Authorizes funding for the intelligence community to continue to protect our nation for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019.

Defends against foreign threats to elections by requiring the Director of National Intelligence to electronically publish an unclassified advisory report on foreign counterintelligence and cybersecurity threats to election campaigns for federal offices;

Bolsters intelligence oversight by requiring the Intelligence Community and the Department of Defense to develop a framework to assess the numerous roles, missions and functions of the Defense Intelligence Agency;

Improves retention and recruitment of personnel for Critical Cyber Missions by providing increased pay for certain employees with unique cyber skills;

Protects Key Energy Infrastructure by creating an Infrastructure Security Center within the Department of Energy to coordinate intelligence on significant threats;

Authorizes enhanced injury benefits to CIA employees injured overseas due to hostile acts or terrorist activities; and,

Improves IC accountability to Congress by requiring the IC to provide reports on:

• Investigations of leaks of classified information;
• Security clearance processing timelines;  
• The process for reviewing information about computer vulnerabilities for retention or potential release; and
• Russian influence campaigns directed at foreign elections

 “The men and women of our intelligence community serve shoulder to shoulder with our sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines, and have been responsible for many of the most important national security victories in American history. We must continue to support their operations and improve our intelligence collecting capabilities so that we can protect the homeland and keep Americans safe in the 21st century and beyond.”