zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Requires the Attorney General to publicly disclose, in a manner consistent with national security, any decision of a court established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) that surveillance activities conducted by the U.S. government have violated a particular U.S. law or constitutional provision.

Requires the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to provide information on surveillance activities to Congress, including information regarding: (1) whether the National Security Agency (NSA) or any other element of the intelligence community has ever collected, or made plans to collect, the cell-site location information of a large number of U.S. persons with no known connection to suspicious activity; (2) the type and amount of evidence the DNI believes is required to permit the collection of cell-site information for intelligence purposes; (3) whether NSA or any other element of the intelligence community has ever conducted a warrantless search of a collection of communications in an effort to find the communications of a particular U.S. person (other than a corporation) and, if so, the number of such searches or an estimate of such number; (4) when the U.S. government first began relying on authorities under FISA to justify the collection of records with no known connection to suspicious activity; (5) whether representations made to the U.S. Supreme Court by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the case of Clapper v. Amnesty International USA accurately described the use of authorities under FISA by the government, which of such representations, if any, were inaccurate, and how such representations have been corrected; and (6) FISA court opinions that identified violations of the law, the Constitution, or FISA court orders relating to the collection of information under FISA.

Directs the Comptroller General (GAO), in consultation with the U.S. International Trade Commission, to conduct an assessment of the economic impact, including the impact on the ability of U.S. communication service providers to compete in foreign markets, of bulk collection and surveillance programs conducted under FISA, and to report to Congress on such assessment.

Date: 2013-12-12
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Law
Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to require the Director of National Intelligence to report annually to the congressional intelligence committees on violations of law or executive order by personnel of an element of the intelligence community and on actions taken in response.

Date: 2013-12-16
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Intelligence Budget Transparency Act of 2014 - Requires the President's annual federal budget submission to include the total dollar amount proposed for intelligence or intelligence related activities of each element of the government engaged in such activities in the fiscal year for which the budget is submitted and the estimated appropriation required for each of the ensuing four fiscal years.

Date: 2014-01-13
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
National Security Agency Data Collection Review Act of 2014 - Amends the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 to advance to December 31, 2014 (currently, June 1, 2015), the termination date of provisions of such Act that authorize the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to apply for a court order for the production of records to assist in investigations of international terrorism.

Amends the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to advance to December 31, 2014 (currently, December 31, 2017), the expiration of the authority for the targeting, for foreign intelligence purposes, of communications of foreign persons who are located outside the United States.

Date: 2014-01-15
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Expansion of National Security Agency Oversight Act - Amends the Foreign Intelligene Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to include the House Committees on Armed Services and Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committees on Armed Services and Foreign Relations (in addition to the intelligence and judiciary committees) as congressional committees to which the Attorney General is required to report under FISA with respect to physical searches, pen register and trap and trace devices, access to certain business records for intelligence purposes, semiannual FISA reviews, and targeting of persons outside the United States to obtain intelligence information.

Date: 2014-01-15
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
National Security Agency Accountability Act - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to require the Comptroller General to report annually to the House and Senate Intelligence and Judiciary Committees on the effectiveness of the programs and activities carried out under such Act.

Requires each report to include: (1) an analysis of the restrictions placed on access to information obtained under such Act; (2) the number of incidents of non-compliance with such Act and a description of actions taken in response to such incidents; (3) a description of the minimization procedures used to carry out such Act and of how such procedures are verified to be in use and effective; (4) the number of applications made under each appropriate provision of such Act, the number of such applications approved by a court, and the number of times such applications resulted in an oral argument before the court; and (5) the number of times employees of or contractors to the National Security Agency (NSA) search information acquired under such Act.

Date: 2014-01-15
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Big Brother Is Not Watching You Act - Requires the President and all executive departments and independent agencies to take all actions, including rulemaking, needed to implement the 46 recommendations of the report entitled "Liberty and Security in a Changing World," issued on December 12, 2013, by the President's Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies.

Requires all necessary rulemaking to be concluded within one year, and all necessary executive orders to be issued within six months, of the enactment of this Act.

Date: 2014-01-15
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Intelligence Community Oversight Act of 2014 - Amends the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2010 to require the head of each element of the intelligence community, in carrying out the directive of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) governing Comptroller General access to information in such element's possession, to:

 provide the Comptroller General with timely access to necessary information concerning programs and activities for any audit, investigation, program evaluation, report, or review; cooperate with the Comptroller General to the fullest extent possible and provide timely responses to requests for information; carefully consider requests for information based on consultation with the Comptroller General; work with the Comptroller General to explore alternative means to accommodate a request if the head determines that such element is unable to provide the Comptroller General with access to the specific information requested; narrowly construe any limitation on access to information by the Comptroller General; and submit to the DNI, the Comptroller General, and Congress, in a timely manner and at the same time the head notifies the Comptroller General of the denial of access to requested information, a written justification for such denial. Requires: (1) the DNI, semiannually, to report to Congress and the Comptroller General on any instances in which a head denied access to requested information; and (2) the Comptroller General, within 30 days of receiving such a report, to submit to Congress any comments in response to such report.

Date: 2014-01-16
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
American Privacy Protection Act - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA), with respect to the authority of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to make an application to a FISA court for an order requiring the production of tangible things (commonly referred to as "business records"), to limit the items that the FBI may seek to tangible things not pertaining to a U.S. person for an investigation to obtain foreign intelligence information not concerning a U.S. person (thus removes the FBI's authority to make such applications for an investigation regarding a U.S. person or to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities).

Date: 2014-01-16
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Prohibits any officer or employee of, or contractor or detailee to, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from using an unmanned aerial vehicle to carry out a weapons strike or other lethal action.

Requires the President to transfer all authority to use such a vehicle to conduct such strikes or lethal action to the Department of Defense (DOD).

Date: 2014-02-11
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Enhancement Act - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to include the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board as a recipient of: (1) FISA court procedural rule changes, decisions, and pleadings; (2) the Attorney General's (DOJ) annual report to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Court regarding applications and orders for electronic surveillance; (3) the Attorney General's reports to Congress concerning electronic surveillance, physical searches, pen registers and trap and trace devices, production of tangible things (commonly referred to as business records), the number of persons targeted by the government under FISA authorities, and procedures for targeting persons; (4) reports by the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) assessing compliance with minimization procedures for targeting persons reasonably believed to be located outside the United States other than U.S. persons, including reviews of the number of targets who were later determined to be located in the United States; and (5) annual reports of each element of the intelligence community authorized to acquire targeted foreign intelligence information.

Date: 2014-04-28
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Global Health Worker Protection Act of 2014 - Prohibits the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and any other agency from using health or humanitarian workers or activities (including immunization and vaccination campaigns, health education and surveillance, or direct health services) in countries outside the United States for the purpose of collecting foreign intelligence.

Prohibits this Act from being construed to restrict the provision of medical services to individuals involved in authorized intelligence activities on behalf of the United States.

Date: 2014-05-28
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Drone Reform Act - Prohibits operations involving the use of an armed unmanned aerial vehicle from being carried out under the authority of federal agency other than the Department of Defense (DOD).

Defines "unmanned aerial vehicle" (UAV) as an aircraft operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft, including drones, unmanned aircraft or aerial systems, remotely piloted aircraft or vehicles, remotely operated aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicle systems.

Authorizes only uniformed members of the Armed Forces to: (1) operate, or order the operation of, an armed UAV; or (2) operate or fire, or order the operation or firing of, any weapon or other munition carried on an armed UAV.

Subjects the operation and use of armed UAVs to the requirements of laws applicable to the Armed Forces.

Prohibits this Act from being construed to: (1) limit or expand the authority of a component of the federal government to provide intelligence to the DOD, or (2) create or expand any authority for the federal government to kill any person.

Date: 2014-07-11
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to remove the National Security Agency (NSA) from the list of agencies and offices that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is required to consult during the development of security standards for information systems.

Date: 2014-07-14
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Chinese Communist Economic Espionage Sanctions Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that the Chinese Communist Party and the government of China should be condemned for conducting cyber and economic espionage against the United States.

Directs the President to prohibit transactions in property and property interests of a covered Chinese state-owned enterprise or a person who is a member of the board of directors, an executive officer, or a senior official of a covered Chinese state-owned enterprise if such property and property interests are in the United States, come within the United States, or are within the possession or control of a U.S. person.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to require each financial institution that is a U.S. person and has within its possession or control such assets that are in the United States to certify to the Secretary that the financial institution has frozen these assets.

Makes an alien who is a member of the board of directors, an executive officer, or a senior official of a covered Chinese state-owned enterprise ineligible for U.S. admission.

Date: 2014-07-14
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: International affairs
Security Clearance Enhancement Act of 2014 - Amends the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to expand the responsibilities of the executive agency selected to conduct security clearance investigations of U.S. government employees and contractors who require access to classified information. Requires such agency to provide for: (1) the collection of data from government, commercial data, consumer reporting agency, and social media sources, as well as data relevant to the granting, denial, or revocation of access to classified information; (2) periodic reinvestigations to review the accuracy and comprehensiveness of information relating to such access; and (3) a process to notify an agency if a verification or periodic reinvestigation has revealed information pertinent to revocation of access.

Requires personnel security investigations of an individual to include information collected from:

 criminal or civil legal proceedings; financial information sources, including bankruptcy proceedings, property liens, mortgages, high-value assets obtained from unknown sources, and bank accounts; credit reports or wealth indicators; associations with an individual or group that may suggest ill intent, vulnerability to blackmail, compulsive behavior, allegiance to another country, or change in ideology; public sources, including news articles or reports; social media websites or forums; and terrorist or criminal watch lists maintained by an agency, state or local government, or international organization, including the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the International Criminal Police Organization. Requires data collected during reinvestigations to be included in the security clearance database established by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Increases the frequency of periodic investigations conducted for the purpose of updating a previously completed background investigation to two times (currently, once) every: (1) 5 years in the case of a top secret clearance or access to a highly sensitive program, (2) 10 years in the case of a secret clearance, or (3) 15 years in the case of a confidential clearance.

Reestablishes an annual report to Congress regarding security clearances. Requires such reports to assess the effectiveness of OPM's security clearance database.

Prohibits this Act from being construed to require increased consideration of information relating to an individual's minor financial or mental health issues.

Date: 2014-09-18
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Prohibits the federal government from using a drone (unmanned aircraft) to kill a U.S. citizen located in the United States.

Makes such prohibition inapplicable to an individual who poses an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury to another.

States that nothing in this Act shall be construed to allow the killing of a U.S. citizen located in the United States without due process of law.

Date: 2013-03-07
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Deter Cyber Theft Act - Requires the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to annually report to specified congressional committees on foreign countries that engage in economic and industrial espionage in cyberspace with respect to U.S. trade secrets or proprietary information. Requires each report to identify countries that engage in such espionage as well as countries that engage in the most egregious forms of such espionage.

Directs the President to exclude from entry into the United States any article produced or exported by an entity identified within any such report, as long as the President determines that such exclusion is warranted for the enforcement of intellectual property rights or to protect the integrity of the Department of Defense (DOD) supply chain.

Date: 2013-05-07
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
Ending Secret Law Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that each decision, order, or opinion ("decision," for purposes of this Act) issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review that includes significant construction or interpretation of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) provisions concerning access to business records and the targeting of persons reasonably believed to be located outside the United States to acquire foreign intelligence information should be declassified in a manner consistent with the protection of national security, intelligence sources and methods, and other properly classified and sensitive information. Amends FISA provisions concerning access to business records and the targeting of persons reasonably believed to be located outside the United States to require the Attorney General, with exceptions, to declassify and make publicly available decisions concerning certain surveillance orders required for inclusion in a semiannual report to Congress. Requires release to the public of unclassified summaries and reports if the Attorney General determines that a decision may not be declassified.

Requires the Attorney General, in cases in which an unclassified summary may not be made available, to make publicly available an unclassified report on the status of the internal deliberations and process regarding the declassification by executive branch personnel of such decisions, including estimates of the number of decisions that will be declassified or remain classified.

Date: 2013-06-11
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Restore Our Privacy Act - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to authorize the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to apply for an order requiring the production of any tangible things only: (1) for an investigation to obtain foreign intelligence information not concerning a U.S. person; or (2) for an investigation concerning international terrorism (currently, to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities).

Requires the application for such an order to include specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe (currently, a statement of facts showing that there are reasonable grounds to believe) that each tangible thing sought is relevant to an authorized investigation.

Eliminates as presumptively relevant to such an investigation tangible things that pertain to an individual in contact with, or known to, a suspected agent of a foreign power who is the subject of such authorized investigation. Requires the judge, for each tangible thing to be released, to enter a finding that the Director has presented specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe that the thing is relevant to an authorized investigation (other than a threat assessment).

Requires the Attorney General to: (1) fully inform Congress semiannually (currently, annually) concerning the total number of applications made for orders approving requests for the production of tangible things and the total number of such orders either granted, modified, or denied; (2) include in such information a description with respect to each application of the specific purpose for such production and an analysis of the effectiveness of each application that was granted or modified in protecting U.S. citizens against terrorism; and (3) make such information available to the public in a manner consistent with the protection of national security.

Date: 2013-06-13
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to require the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in an application for a court order requesting access to business records and other tangible evidence in connection with a foreign intelligence investigation, to include a statement that the information sought is relevant to an authorized investigation to obtain information not concerning a U.S. person or to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities and either: (1) pertains to a foreign power or agent of a foreign power; (2) is relevant to the activities of a suspected agent of a foreign power who is the subject of the investigation; or (3) pertains to an individual in contact with, or known to, a suspected agent of a foreign power. Requires such statement to enumerate the minimization (protection) procedures adopted by the Attorney General applicable to FBI retention and dissemination of any information made available.

Excepts from such requirements any court order issued prior to six months after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Date: 2013-06-18
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Preserving American Access to Information Act - Directs federal agency heads with authority to classify information to: (1) specify the types of information with short-lived sensitivity that could be automatically declassified without further review, and (2) consult with the Information Security Oversight Office of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in the declassification process. Exempts from such automatic declassification: (1) information on sources, methods, tactics, tradecraft, and procedures of members of the Armed Forces, the intelligence community, and other personnel performing similar security functions; and (2) any other information that could endanger military, intelligence, diplomatic, or law enforcement personnel, operations, or capabilities.

Directs the President to take appropriate actions to enhance the authority and capacity of the National Declassification Center under Executive Order 13526 to promote a government-wide strategy for the declassification of information.

Requires the Director of the National Declassification Center to provide for consultation between the Center's Advisory panel and the public on a regular basis. Extends authority for the Public Interest Declassification Board until December 31, 2018.

Requires federal agencies to identify and designate historically valuable records as soon as possible after their creation to ensure the preservation and future accessibility of such records.

Requires federal agency heads that classify information to report to Congress on: (1) options for pilot programs to assess the feasibility and advisability of mechanisms to improve the current declassification capabilities of federal agencies; and (2) the feasibility and advisability of replacing the current agency classification systems and of declassifying records with Formerly Restricted Date (FRD) that have no national security value.

Date: 2013-08-01
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Government operations and politics
FISA Court Reform Act of 2013 - Establishes as an independent establishment in the executive branch an Office of the Special Advocate to protect individual rights by advocating in cases before courts established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) in support of legal interpretations that minimize the scope of surveillance and the extent of data collection and retention.

Directs the presiding judge of the FISA Court of Review to appoint a Special Advocate to serve as the head of such Office from a list of candidates submitted by the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.

Requires the Special Advocate to: (1) review each application to the FISA Court by the Attorney General and each decision of the FISA Court or the FISA Court of Review, and (2) participate in proceedings before the FISA Court when appointed to participate by such Court.

Permits the Special Advocate to request to participate in such proceedings, request reconsideration of FISA Court decisions, and appeal or seek review of FISA Court or FISA Court of Review decisions.

Directs such Courts to promulgate rules to provide the public with information sufficient to allow interested parties to participate as amicus curiae.

Authorizes the Special Advocate to seek a writ of certiorari from the Supreme Court for review of any decision of the FISA Court of Review.

Requires the Attorney General to publicly disclose: (1) all decisions issued by the FISA Court or the FISA Court of Review after July 10, 2003, that include a significant construction or interpretation of law, (2) any decision of the FISA Court appealed by the Special Advocate, and (3) any FISA Court of Review decision issued after an appeal by the Special Advocate. Provides for the release of as much information regarding the facts and analysis in such decisions as is consistent with legitimate national security concerns.

Permits the Special Advocate to petition the FISA Court or FISA Court of Review for the public disclosure of decisions and related documents previously designated as classified or for the release of an unclassified summary of such materials.

Date: 2013-08-01
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2014 - Amends the federal criminal code to authorize an owner of a trade secret who is aggrieved by an act of economic espionage, theft of a trade secret, or misappropriation of a trade secret that is related to a product or service used in, or intended for use in, interstate or foreign commerce to bring a civil action under this Act (current law authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action to obtain injunctive relief against any violation of provisions regarding the protection of trade secrets).

Authorizes the court, based on an affidavit or verified complaint satisfying the requirements of this Act, upon ex parte application and if the court finds that issuing the order is necessary to prevent irreparable harm, to issue appropriate orders: (1) providing for the preservation of evidence in the civil action, including by making a copy of an electronic storage medium that contains the trade secret; (2) granting an injunction to prevent any actual or threatened violation, (3) requiring affirmative actions to be taken to protect a trade secret; or (4) providing for the seizure of any property used to commit or facilitate the commission of an alleged violation, except that such an order may not provide for the seizure of any property that is merely incidental to the alleged violation unless necessary to preserve evidence or shall provide for the seizure of any property in a manner that does not interrupt normal and legitimate business operations unrelated to the trade secret.

Makes applicable to such ex parte applications and seizure orders specified requirements of the Trademark Act of 1946 regarding ex parte applications and seizure orders in civil actions arising out of the use of counterfeit marks in connection with the sale, offering for sale, or distribution of goods or services.

Authorizes a court in a civil action brought under this Act to: (1) grant an injunction to prevent any violation, to require affirmative actions to be taken to protect a trade secret, and to condition future use upon payment of a reasonable royalty for no longer than the period use could have been prohibited; (2) award damages for actual loss, damages for unjust enrichment, and (in lieu of damages measured by any other methods) damages caused by misappropriation measured by imposition of liability for a reasonable royalty for the unauthorized disclosure or use of a trade secret; (3) award exemplary treble damages if the trade secret is willfully or maliciously misappropriated; and (4) award reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party if a claim of misappropriation is made in bad faith, a motion to terminate an injunction is made or opposed in bad faith, or a trade secret is willfully and maliciously misappropriated.

Establishes a five-year limitations period, beginning when the misappropriation is discovered or should have been discovered.

Date: 2014-04-29
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Deter Cyber Theft Act of 2014 - Requires the President to report annually to Congress on foreign countries that engage in economic and industrial espionage in cyberspace with respect to U.S. trade secrets or proprietary information. Requires each report to: (1) identify countries that engage in such espionage, including countries that facilitate, support, fail to prosecute, or otherwise permit such espionage; (2) specify the countries that engage in the most egregious forms of such espionage; and (3) describe actions taken and progress made by the President to decrease the prevalence of such espionage.

Authorizes the President to block and prohibit transactions in property, and interests in property, of a foreign person the President determines knowingly requests, engages in, supports, facilitates, or benefits from the significant appropriation, through economic or industrial espionage in cyberspace, of technologies or proprietary information developed by U.S. persons if such property and interests in property: (1) are in the United States; (2) come within the United States; or (3) are, or come within, the possession or control of a U.S. person. Prohibits the President from imposing sanctions on the importation of goods under such authority.

Date: 2014-05-22
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
Rightsizing Activities of Intelligence Non-Governmental Contractors Act of 2015 or the RAINC Act

Requires the Director of National Intelligence: (1) to study the extent to which contractors are used in the conduct of intelligence activities and the type of information to which such contractors have access; (2) by December 31, 2015, to submit a report containing the results of the study and a plan for reducing the number of intelligence community contractors with top secret security clearances that are engaged in intelligence activities, including analysis, by 25%; and (3) by December 31, 2016, to make such reduction.

Date: 2015-01-06
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Civilian Contractors Engaged in Intelligence Activities Reduction Act of 2015

Requires the Director of National Intelligence: (1) to study the extent to which contractors are used in the conduct of intelligence activities and the type of information to which such contractors have access; (2) by December 31, 2015, to submit a report containing the results of the study and a plan for reducing the number of intelligence community contractors with top secret security clearances that are engaged in intelligence activities, including analysis, by 25%; and (3) by December 31, 2016, to make such reduction.

Date: 2015-01-06
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: International affairs
FISA Court in the Sunshine Act of 2015

Expresses the sense of Congress that each decision, order, or opinion ("decision," for purposes of this Act) issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review that includes significant construction or interpretation of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) provisions concerning access to business records and the targeting of persons reasonably believed to be located outside the United States to acquire foreign intelligence information should be declassified in a manner consistent with the protection of national security, intelligence sources and methods, and other properly classified and sensitive information.

Amends FISA provisions concerning access to business records and the targeting of persons reasonably believed to be located outside the United States to require the Attorney General, with exceptions, to declassify and make publicly available decisions concerning certain surveillance orders required for inclusion in a semiannual report to Congress. Requires release to the public of unclassified summaries and reports if the Attorney General determines that a decision may not be declassified.

Requires the Attorney General, in cases in which an unclassified summary may not be made available, to make publicly available an unclassified report on the status of the internal deliberations and process regarding the declassification by executive branch personnel of such decisions, including estimates of the number of decisions that will be declassified or remain classified.

Date: 2015-01-06
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
No More Ghost Money Act

 Prohibits any federal department, agency, or federal government contractor from making a monetary payment to any official of a foreign country for the purposes of bribery, coercion, or any illegal activity that undermines the rule of law or corrupts a public official. Requires the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to report to Congress on all monetary payments made by the CIA to officials of the Government of Afghanistan on or after September 11, 2001. Authorizes the President to waive the requirements of this Act if compliance would harm U.S. national security or members of the Armed Forces.

Date: 2015-01-09
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: International affairs
Prohibits any officer or employee of, or contractor or detailee to, the Central Intelligence Agency from using an unmanned aerial vehicle to carry out a weapons strike or other lethal action.

Requires the President to transfer all authority to use such a vehicle to conduct such strikes or lethal action to the Department of Defense.

Date: 2015-01-22
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
State Secrets Protection Act

This bill declares that the government has a privilege to refuse to give information and to prevent any person from giving information in civil actions in federal or state courts only if the government shows that public disclosure of the information that the government seeks to protect would be reasonably likely to cause significant harm to the national defense or the diplomatic relations of the United States.

Courts must take steps, which may include in camera and ex parte hearings and other security procedures, to protect sensitive information that comes before them.

The bill sets forth the court's authority regarding the participation of counsel, appointment of a guardian ad litem to represent an absent litigant's interests, and the disclosure of information when it presents a risk of harm. The bill also provides standards for the court to order the government to produce adequate or nonprivileged substitutes (redacted copies, summary of information, stipulation of facts) for privileged information.

The government may: (1) assert the privilege in connection with any claim in a civil action to which it is a party, or (2) intervene in a civil action to which it is not a party in order to do so.

Once the government has asserted the privilege, and before the court makes any determinations, the court shall: (1) undertake a preliminary review of the information in question, and (2) provide the government an opportunity to seek protective measures under this Act.

The bill establishes procedures and a standard for assessing the privilege claim.

If the court determines that the privilege is not validly asserted, the court must issue appropriate orders regarding the disclosure of the information to a nongovernmental party and its admission at trial, with the right to an interlocutory appeal for any such orders. The bill prohibits such disclosure or admission if the privilege is determined valid.

Courts of appeal are provided jurisdiction of an appeal from a decision or order of a district court determining that the state secrets privilege is not validly asserted, sanctioning a refusal to provide an adequate or nonprivileged substitute, or refusing protective steps sought by the government pending the resolution of the claim of state secrets privilege.

Date: 2016-03-16
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Law
Electronic Warfare Capabilities Enhancement Act of 2016

This bill permits the use of appropriations authorized for electromagnetic spectrum warfare systems and electronic warfare in order to develop and field electromagnetic spectrum warfare systems and electronic warfare capabilities.

The Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 is amended to include electronic warfare programs in the rapid acquisition authority program.

Electronic warfare is military action involving the use of electromagnetic and directed energy to control the electromagnetic spectrum or to attack the enemy.

The Department of Defense shall delegate to the senior electronic warfare executive the authority to review and validate all Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System documents for electronic warfare acquisition programs.

The Electronic Warfare Executive Committee shall submit to the congressional defense committees a strategic plan with measurable and timely objectives to achieve its mission according to specified metrics.

Date: 2016-03-23
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
United States - Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Act

This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a joint United States-Israel Cybersecurity Center of Excellence based in the United States and Israel to leverage the experience, knowledge, and expertise of institutions of higher education, the private sector, and government entities in cybersecurity and protection of critical infrastructure. The center may promote joint research and development, share best practices and access to American and Israeli innovation, and strengthen partnerships between the United States and Israeli entities.

DHS may carry out a program to award an annual competitive prize to stimulate innovation to advance the center's mission.

Date: 2016-03-23
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
JCPOA Intelligence Enforcement Act of 2016

This bill directs the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to establish an integration cell among elements of the U.S. intelligence community to integrate intelligence for monitoring and enforcement of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which is the international agreement on Iran's nuclear program.

The cell must coordinate intelligence collection, integrate early warning systems with respect to potential violations, and identify intelligence gaps in monitoring for the JCPOA.

The cell must report to Congress annually regarding its awareness of, and its recommendations for better collection regarding, Iran's compliance.

The bill expresses the sense of Congress that the intelligence community should establish a joint fusion cell with the Gulf Cooperation Council to:

 combat Iran's malevolent regional activities, including its support for terrorist proxies, such as Hezbollah; disrupt illicit transfers of weapons and material in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231; and protect the territorial integrity of key partner nations. The bill also expresses the sense of Congress that the DNI should establish a United States-Israel intelligence working group focused specifically on the Iranian threat.

Date: 2016-04-14
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act of 2016

This bill expresses the sense of Congress that:

 foreign governments, including the governments of the Russian Federation and China, use disinformation and other propaganda tools to undermine the national security objectives of the United States and key allies and partners; the U.S. government should develop a comprehensive strategy to counter foreign disinformation and propaganda and assert leadership in developing a fact-based strategic narrative; and an important element of this strategy should be to promote an independent press in countries that are vulnerable to foreign disinformation. The Department of State shall establish a Center for Information Analysis and Response to:

 lead and coordinate the collection and analysis of information on foreign government information warfare efforts; establish a framework for the integration of critical data and analysis on foreign propaganda and disinformation efforts into the development of national strategy; and develop and synchronize government initiatives to expose and counter foreign information operations directed against U.S. national security interests and advance fact-based narratives that support U.S. allies and interests. When selecting participants for U.S. educational and cultural exchange programs, special consideration shall be given to students and community leaders from populations and countries deemed vulnerable to foreign propaganda and disinformation campaigns.

Date: 2016-05-10
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: International affairs
International Communications Privacy Act

This bill amends the federal criminal code by allowing a governmental entity to require providers of electronic communication services or remote computing services to disclose the contents of communications in electronic storage (e.g., the cloud), regardless of where those communications are located. Thus, a governmental entity may obtain warrants for electronic communications stored outside of the United States if certain conditions for obtaining the warrant are met.

The bill allows a governmental entity to obtain those communications only if a court finds that the governmental entity has taken all reasonable steps to establish the nationality and location of the subscriber or customer whose communications are sought and that there are reasonable grounds to believe that such subscriber or customer is a U.S. person, a person physically located within the United States, or a national of a foreign country that has a law enforcement cooperation agreement with the United States.

The Department of Justice must: (1) establish a process for foreign governments to file mutual legal assistance treaty requests for obtaining access to electronic communications, and (2) publish annually information concerning those requests.

Date: 2016-05-25
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Secure E-Waste Export and Recycling Act

This bill prohibits any person from exporting or reexporting electronic waste (specified items containing electronic components or fragments, including computers, televisions, video display devices, and consumer electronics) or exempted electronic waste items (tested, working used electronics, low-risk counterfeit electronics, or recalled electronics), except as specified.

"Low-risk counterfeit electronics" means electronic components or items that: (1) have been subjected to destruction processes that render the items unusable for their original purpose; and (2) are exported as a feedstock, with no additional mechanical or hand separation required, in a reclamation process to render the components or items recycled consistent with the laws of the foreign country performing such process.

A person may export or reexport exempted electronic waste items only if:

 the person is listed on a publicly available registry maintained by the Department of Commerce; for each export transaction, the person files specified electronic export information in the Automated Export System; the export or reexport of exempted electronic waste items otherwise complies with applicable international agreements and other U.S. trade laws; and the exempted items are accompanied by certain required documentation. Commerce may provide exceptions to the requirements of this bill under specified circumstances for exports or reexports of five items or fewer per transaction of electronic components intended for personal use, and of electronic components to a person or entity under the ownership or control of the person exporting or reexporting the components, with the intent that they be used for the purpose for which they were used in the United States.

Any violator of this bill or regulations issued under it shall be subject to the same penalties as those applicable to violators of any other provision of the Export Administration Regulations.

Date: 2016-06-24
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
This bill amends the federal criminal code to modify the criminal liability standard for certain disclosures of national defense information.

Specifically, current law makes it a crime for a person entrusted with national defense information to permit such information to be lost or removed through gross negligence.

This bill eliminates gross negligence as an element the criminal offense to impose strict liability on a person who permits the loss or removal of national defense information.

Date: 2016-07-08
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
United States-Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2016 

(Sec. 2) This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a grant program to support cybersecurity research and development, and the demonstration and commercialization of cybersecurity technology, in accordance with the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the State of Israel on Cooperation in Science and Technology for Homeland Security Matters, dated May 29, 2008, or a successor agreement.

Grants may be awarded for social science research and technology intended to identify, protect against, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity threats.

To be eligible for a grant, a project must be a joint venture between: (1) for-profit, nonprofit, or academic entities (including U.S. national laboratories) in the United States and Israel; or (2) the governments of the United States and Israel.

Grants shall be awarded only for projects considered unclassified by both the United States and Israel.

DHS must require cost sharing of at least 50% from nonfederal sources for grant activities, but it may reduce the nonfederal percentage if necessary on a case-by-case basis.

DHS must establish an advisory board to monitor the impartial scientific and technical merit method by which grants are awarded and provide periodic reviews of the actions taken to carry out the program.

The grant program terminates seven years after this bill's enactment.

Date: 2016-07-14
Topic: Defense (Intelligence)
Subject: Science, technology, communications