I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 804 

To amend the National Security Act of 1947 to protect the National Security 

Council from political interference, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 1, 2017 

Mrs. MURPHY of Florida (for herself, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mr. BEYER, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. MENG, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. MOULTON, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. VARGAS, Ms. MOORE, Mr. 

SCHRADER, Ms. ROSEN, Ms. LEE, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. 

CA ́RDENAS, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. KIND, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. 

CASTOR of Florida, Mr. TONKO, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. WELCH, Ms. SPEIER, 

Mr. CUELLAR, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. CICILLINE, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. TED

LIEU of California, Mr. NADLER, Mr. BEN RAY LUJA ́N of New Mexico, 

Ms. MATSUI, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. HIMES, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. COHEN, Ms. 

SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SOTO, Mr. COSTA, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Ms. 

SINEMA, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. KILMER, Mr. 

RASKIN, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. POLIS, 

Mr. CORREA, Mr. EVANS, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Ms. ROYBALALLARD, Mr. TAKANO, and Mr. SWALWELL of California) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, 

and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence 

(Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the National Security Act of 1947 to protect 

the National Security Council from political interference, 

and for other purposes. 


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•HR 804 IH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protect the National 

5 Security Council From Political Interference Act of 

6 2017’’. 

7 SEC. 2. PROTECTION OF NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL 

8 FROM POLITICAL INTERFERENCE. 

9 (a) LIMITATION ON NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

10 MEMBERSHIP.—Section 101(c) of the National Security 

11 Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3021) is amended— 

12 (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘The Presi13 dent may designate’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as pro14 vided in paragraph (3), the President may des15 ignate’’; and 

16 (2) by adding at the end the following new 

17 paragraph: 

18 ‘‘(3) PROHIBITION ON MEMBERSHIP OF POLIT19 ICAL OFFICERS.—The President may not designate 

20 any individual whose primary or predominant re21 sponsibility is political in nature to serve as a mem22 ber of the Council or otherwise to regularly attend 

23 or participate in meetings of the Council or meetings 

24 convened under the auspices of the Council, includ25 ing Principals Committee meetings.’’. 


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•HR 804 IH

1 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con2 gress that no limitations should be imposed on the ability 

3 of the Director of National Intelligence or the Chairman 

4 of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or their designees, to attend 

5 any Principals Committee meeting convened under the 

6 auspices of the National Security Council or any other 

7 senior interagency meeting convened for the purpose of 

8 considering policy issues that affect the national security 

9 interests of the United States. 

Æ 


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