Investment WatchblogH.R.4681 – Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015
113th Congress (2013-2014)
(Sec. 309) Requires each element of the intelligence community to adopt Attorney General-approved procedures for any intelligence collection activity not otherwise authorized by court order or subpoena that is reasonably anticipated to result in the acquisition of nonpublic telephone or electronic communications to or from a U.S. person, including communications in electronic storage, without the consent of a person who is a party to the communication.
Requires the procedures to permit acquisition, retention, and dissemination of such communications
but prohibit retention in excess of five years unless:
- the communication constitutes, or is necessary to understand or assess, foreign intelligence or counterintelligence;
- the communication constitutes evidence of a crime and is retained by a law enforcement agency;
- the communication is enciphered or reasonably believed to have a secret meaning;
- all parties to the communication are reasonably believed to be non-U.S. persons;
- retention is necessary to protect against an imminent threat to human life (in which case the information must be reported to Congress within 30 days of the date such retention is extended) or for technical assurance or compliance purposes, including a court order or discovery obligation (in which case the information must be reported to Congress annually); or
- the head of an element of the intelligence community approves retention for a period in excess of five years if necessary to protect U.S. national security.
Requires the head of an element approving retention in excess of five years for national security purposes to certify to Congress: (1) the reasons extended retention is necessary to protect U.S. national security, (2) the duration of the retention, (3) the particular information to be retained, and (4) the measures being taken to protect the privacy interests of U.S. persons or persons located inside the United States.
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https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4681
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015 (H.R. 4681; 113th Congress)
The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015 (H.R. 4681) is a bill that authorizes different intelligence agencies and their activities in fiscal years 2014 and 2015.[1][2] The total spending authorized by the bill is classified, but estimates based on intelligence leaks made byEdward Snowden indicate that the budget could be approximately $50 billion.[3][4]
The bill was introduced into and passed the United States House of Representatives during the 113th United States Congress.[5]
WTF is the Intelligence Authorization Act for 2015? (#hr4681 & #stop309)
“It authorizes the executive branch to acquire and retain communication information on a whim and without any due process.”
Why pass a law? They do that now.