50 U.S.C. § 3369d (WAR AND NATIONAL DEFENSE)
§ 3369d. Committee to counter active measures by the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or other nation state to exert covert influence over peoples and governments
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Active measures by Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, or other nation state to exert covert influence
The term “active measures by Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, or other nation state to exert covert influence” means activities intended to influence a person or government that are carried out in coordination with, or at the behest of, political leaders or the security services of the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or other nation state and the role of the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or other nation state has been hidden or not acknowledged publicly, including the following:
(A) Establishment or funding of a front group.
(B) Covert broadcasting.
(C) Media manipulation.
(D) Disinformation and forgeries.
(E) Funding agents of influence.
(F) Incitement and offensive counterintelligence.
(G) Assassinations.
(H) Terrorist acts.
(2) Appropriate committees of Congress
The term “appropriate committees of Congress” means—
(A) the congressional intelligence committees;
(B) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
(C) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.
(b) Establishment
There is established within the executive branch an interagency committee to counter active measures by the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or other nation state to exert covert influence.
(c) Membership
(1) In general
(A) Appointment
Each head of an agency or department of the Government set out under subparagraph (B) shall appoint one member of the committee established by subsection (b) from among officials of such agency or department who occupy a position that is required to be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(B) Head of an agency or department
The head of an agency or department of the Government set out under this subparagraph are the following:
(i) The Director of National Intelligence.
(ii) The Secretary of State.
(iii) The Secretary of Defense.
(iv) The Secretary of the Treasury.
(v) The Attorney General.
(vi) The Secretary of Energy.
(vii) The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(viii) The head of any other agency or department of the United States Government designated by the President for purposes of this section.
(d) Meetings
The committee shall meet on a regular basis.
(e) Duties
The duties of the committee established by subsection (b) shall be as follows:
(1) To counter active measures by Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, or other nation state to exert covert influence, including by exposing falsehoods, agents of influence, corruption, human rights abuses, terrorism, and assassinations carried out by the security services or political elites of the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or other nation state or their proxies.
(2) Such other duties as the President may designate for purposes of this section.
(f) Staff
The committee established by subsection (b) may employ such staff as the members of such committee consider appropriate.
(g) Budget Request
A request for funds required for the functioning of the committee established by subsection (b) may be included in each budget for a fiscal year submitted by the President pursuant to section 1105(a) of title 31.
(h) Annual report
(1) Requirement
Not later than 180 days after May 5, 2017, and annually thereafter, and consistent with the protection of intelligence sources and methods, the committee established by subsection (b) shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing steps being taken by the committee to counter active measures by Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, or other nation state to exert covert influence.
(2) Content
Each report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A) A summary of the active measures by the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or other nation state to exert covert influence during the previous year, including significant incidents and notable trends.
(B) A description of the key initiatives of the committee.
(C) A description of the implementation of the committee’s initiatives by the head of an agency or department of the Government set out under subsection (c)(1)(B).
(D) An analysis of the impact of the committee’s initiatives.
(E) Recommendations for changes to the committee’s initiatives from the previous year.
(3) Separate reporting requirement
The requirement to submit an annual report under paragraph (1) is in addition to any other reporting requirements with respect to Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, or other nation state.
(Pub. L. 115–31, div. N, title V, § 501, May 5, 2017, 131 Stat. 823; Pub. L. 116–92, div. E, title LXVII, § 6706(a), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2224.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: Codification
text: Section was formerly set out as a note under section 3001 of this title.
heading: Amendments
text: 2019—Pub. L. 116–92, § 6706(a)(2), inserted “, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or other nation state” after “Russian Federation” in section catchline.
Pub. L. 116–92, § 6706(a)(1), wherever appearing, inserted “, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or other nation state” after “Russian Federation” and “, China, Iran, North Korea, or other nation state” after “Russia”.
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Definitions
text: For definition of “congressional intelligence committees”, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(A), see section 2 of div. N of Pub. L. 115–31, set out as a note under section 3003 of this title.