Afghanistan Security Through Intelligence Act

Bill: 117-hr-5709
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6]
Introduced: 2021-10-25
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Afghanistan

Asia

China

Congressional oversight

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Drug trafficking and controlled substances

Europe

Foreign aid and international relief

Government information and archives

Homeland security

Human rights

Immigration status and procedures

India

Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information

Iran

Iraq

Middle East

Military operations and strategy

Pakistan

Qatar

Refugees, asylum, displaced persons

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status

Tajikistan

Terrorism

Turkey

Turkmenistan

United Arab Emirates

Uzbekistan

Visas and passports

Women's rights
Latest action: action_date: 2021-10-25
text: Referred to the House Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select).

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-10-25
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Afghanistan Security Through Intelligence Act</strong></p> <p>This bill requires reports concerning the situation in Afghanistan and other specified countries.</p> <p>The National Intelligence Council within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) must submit to Congress a National Intelligence Estimate (a type of intelligence community assessment about a specific issue) on topics including (1) the presence of certain countries, including China, Iran, and Russia in Afghanistan and other specified countries, such as India and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries; (2) any change to threats to the United States as a result of the withdrawal of U.S. Armed Forces from Afghanistan on August 31, 2021; and (3) the political composition and stability of the governing body of Afghanistan. </p> <p>The ODNI must periodically report to Congress on issues such as (1) the intelligence community's collection posture with respect to issues involving Afghanistan, including the detection and prevention of any increased threat to the United States as a result of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan; (2) any plans or efforts to improve the intelligence collection posture in Afghanistan; and (3) the effect of publicly documenting the Taliban's abuses. </p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5709 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 25, 2021 Mr. Crow (for himself and Mr. Wenstrup ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence A BILL To direct the Director of National Intelligence to produce a National Intelligence Estimate on the situation in Afghanistan, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Afghanistan Security Through Intelligence Act . 2. National Intelligence Estimate on security situation in Afghanistan and related region (a) Requirement The Director of National Intelligence, acting through the National Intelligence Council, shall produce a National Intelligence Estimate on the situation in Afghanistan and the covered region. (b) Matters The National Intelligence Estimate produced under subsection (a) shall include, with respect to the 2-year period beginning on the date on which the Estimate is produced, an assessment of the following: (1) The presence in Afghanistan (including financial contributions to the Taliban, political relations with the Taliban, military presence in the covered region, economic presence in the covered region, and diplomatic presence in the covered region) of China, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, and any other foreign country determined relevant by the Director, respectively, and an assessment of the potential risks, or benefits, of any such presence, contributions, or relations. (2) Any change in the threat to the United States homeland or United States entities abroad as a result of the withdrawal of the Armed Forces from Afghanistan on August 31, 2021, including an assessment of the risk of al-Qaeda or any affiliates thereof, the Islamic State of Iraq and ash Sham-Khorasan or any affiliates thereof, or any other similar international terrorist group, using Afghanistan as a safe haven for launching attacks on the United States and its interests abroad. (3) The political composition and sustainability of the governing body of Afghanistan, including an assessment of the ability of the United States Government to influence the policies of such governing body on the following: (A) Counterterrorism. (B) Counternarcotics. (C) Human rights (particularly regarding women and girls and traditionally targeted ethnic groups). (D) The treatment and safe transit of Afghans holding special immigrant visa status under section 602 of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 note) and other Afghans who, during the period beginning in 2001, assisted efforts of the United States in Afghanistan or the covered region. (4) The effect on the covered region, and Europe, of refugees leaving Afghanistan. (5) The commitments of the Taliban relating to counterterrorism, including an assessment of— (A) whether such commitments required under the agreement entered into between the United States Government and the Taliban in February 2020, have been tested, or will be tested during the 2-year period covered by the Estimate, and what such commitments entail; (B) whether any additional commitments relating to counterterrorism agreed to by the Taliban pursuant to subsequent negotiations with the United States Government following February 2020, have been tested, or will be tested during the 2-year period covered by the Estimate, and, if applicable, what such commitments entail; (C) any benchmarks against which the Taliban are to be evaluated with respect to commitments relating to counterterrorism; and (D) the intentions and capabilities of the Taliban with respect to counterterrorism (as such term is understood by the United States and by the Taliban, respectively), including the relations of the Taliban with al-Qaeda or any affiliates thereof, the Islamic State of Iraq and ash Sham-Khorasan or any affiliates thereof, or any other similar international terrorist group. (c) Submission to Congress (1) Submission Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to the congressional intelligence committees the National Intelligence Estimate produced under subsection (a), including all intelligence reporting underlying the Estimate. (2) Form The National Intelligence Estimate shall be submitted under paragraph (1) in classified form. (d) Public version Consistent with the protection of intelligence sources and methods, at the same time as the Director submits to the congressional intelligence committees the National Intelligence Estimate under subsection (c), the Director shall make publicly available on the internet website of the Director an unclassified version of the key findings of the National Intelligence Estimate. (e) Definitions In this section: (1) Congressional intelligence committees The term congressional intelligence committees means the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate. (2) Covered region The term covered region includes the following countries: (A) China. (B) The Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates. (C) India. (D) Iran. (E) Pakistan. (F) Tajikistan. (G) Turkey. (H) Turkmenistan. (I) Uzbekistan. (3) United States entity The term United States entity means a citizen of the United States, an embassy or consulate of the United States, or an installation, facility, or personnel of the United States Government. 3. Report on intelligence collection posture and other matters relating to Afghanistan and related region (a) Report Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the heads of elements of the intelligence community determined relevant by the Director, shall submit to the congressional intelligence committees a report on the collection posture of the intelligence community and other matters relating to Afghanistan and the covered region. (b) Matters The report under subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) A detailed description of the collection posture of the intelligence community with respect to Afghanistan, including with respect to the following: (A) The countering of terrorism threats that are directed at the United States homeland or United States entities abroad. (B) The finances of the Taliban, including financial contributions to the Taliban from foreign countries (particularly from China, Iran, Russia, and any other foreign country in the Arab Gulf region (or elsewhere) determined relevant by the Director, respectively). (C) The detection, and prevention of, any increased threat to the United States homeland or United States entities abroad as a result of the withdrawal of the United States Armed Forces from Afghanistan on August 31, 2021, including any such increased threat resulting from al-Qaeda or any affiliates thereof, the Islamic State of Iraq and ash Sham-Khorasan or any affiliates thereof, or any other similar international terrorist group, using Afghanistan as a safe harbor. (2) A detailed description of any plans, strategies, or efforts to improve the collection posture described in paragraph (1)(A), including by filling any gaps identified pursuant to such paragraph. (3) An assessment of the effect of publicly documenting abuses engaged in by the Taliban, and a description of the efforts of the intelligence community to support other departments and agencies in the Federal Government with respect to the collection and documentation of such abuses. (4) An assessment of the relationship between the intelligence community and countries in the covered region, including an assessment of the following: (A) Intelligence and information sharing with such countries. (B) Any change in the collection posture of the intelligence community with respect to the nuclear activities of such countries as a result of the withdrawal of the United States Armed Forces from Afghanistan on August 31, 2021. (C) The collection posture of the intelligence community with respect to the presence of such countries in Afghanistan (including financial contributions to the Taliban, political relations with the Taliban, military presence in Afghanistan, economic presence in Afghanistan, and diplomatic presence in Afghanistan) and the understanding of the intelligence community regarding the potential risks, or benefits, of any such presence, contributions, or relations. (D) The ability of the intelligence community to use the airspace of any such countries. (5) An assessment of any financial contributions to the Taliban from foreign countries (particularly from China, Iran, Russia, and any other foreign country in the Arab Gulf region (or elsewhere) determined relevant by the Director, respectively) made during the year preceding the withdrawal of the United States Armed Forces from Afghanistan on August 31, 2021. (c) Form The report under subsection (a) may be submitted in classified form, but shall include an unclassified summary. (d) Biannual updates On a biannual basis during the 5-year period following the date of the submission of the report under subsection (a), the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the heads of the elements of the intelligence community determined relevant by the Director, shall submit to the congressional intelligence committees an update to such report. (e) Definitions In this section: (1) Congressional intelligence committees The term congressional intelligence committees means the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate. (2) Covered region The term covered region includes the following countries: (A) China. (B) The Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates. (C) India. (D) Iran. (E) Pakistan. (F) Tajikistan. (G) Turkey. (H) Turkmenistan. (I) Uzbekistan. (3) United States entity The term United States entity means a citizen of the United States, an embassy or consulate of the United States, or an installation, facility, or personnel of the United States Government.