,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bdic ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #ag1 #bjai,ms4 ,klobuchar 7for herself and ,mr4 ,reed7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,select ,committee on ,intelligence ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,malign ,foreign ,influence ,response ,center in the ,office of the ,director of ,national ,intelligence1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,combatting ,foreign ,influence ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings2 sense of ,congress 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,foreign powers and agents are increasingly targeting the ,united ,states with malign foreign influence operations and campaigns4 7#b7 ,in #bjaf1 ,kremlin and ,kremlin-linked actors interfered in the presidential election and in response the intelligence community1 including the ,director of ,national ,intelligence in the #bjai ,world ,wide ,threat ,assessment1 has repeatedly warned that such malign foreign influence operations and campaigns pose a growing threat to the national security of the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the operations of the ,malign ,foreign ,influence ,response ,center should be integrated with existing task forces at individual agencies that have mandates and resources which are limited by their particular mission and budget in order to have an effective whole of government approach to countering malign foreign influence operations and campaigns2 7#b7 the intelligence community and ,congress should work together to resolve existing legal limitations on elements of the intelligence community to monitor malign foreign influence operations and campaigns2 7#c7 the intelligence community and ,congress should ensure that appropriate legal authorities are in place to protect the privacy and civil liberties of citizens of the ,united ,states2 and 7#d7 lessons learned from post-#i_/aa counterterrorism experiences should be applied to countering threats from malign foreign influence operations and campaigns4 #c4 ,malign ,foreign ,influence ,response ,center 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,national ,security ,act of #aidg 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #cjja et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #aai;,b the following new section3 #aai;,c4 ,malign ,foreign ,influence ,response ,center 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the congressional intelligence committees2 7,b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,committee on ,rules and ,administration of the ,senate2 and 7,c7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,committee on ,house ,administration of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#b7 ,malign foreign influence operations and campaigns ,the term malign foreign influence operations and campaigns means the coordinated direct or indirect application of national diplomatic1 informational1 military1 economic1 business1 corruption1 educational1 and other capability by hostile foreign powers to affect attitudes1 behaviors1 decisions1 or outcomes within the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,establishment ,there is within the ,office of the ,director of ,national ,intelligence a ,malign ,foreign ,influence ,response ,center 7in this section referred to as the ,center74 7c7 ,missions 7#a7 ,in general ,the primary missions of the ,center shall be as follows3 7,a7 ,to serve as the primary organization in the ,united ,states ,government for analyzing and integrating all intelligence possessed or acquired by the ,united ,states ,government pertaining to malign foreign influence operations and campaigns4 7,b7 ,to synchronize the efforts of the intelligence community with respect to countering malign foreign influence operations and campaigns to undermine the national security1 political sovereignty1 and economies of the ,united ,states and the allies of the ,united ,states1 including by-- 7i7 ensuring that each such element is aware of and coordinating on such efforts2 and 7ii7 overseeing the development and implementation of comprehensive and integrated policy responses to such efforts4 7,c7 ,in coordination with the relevant elements of the ,department of ,state1 the ,department of ,defense1 the ,federal ,bureau of ,investigation1 the intelligence community1 and other departments and agencies of the ,united ,states-- 7i7 to develop1 in consultation with the employee of the ,national ,security ,council designated under section #aja7;g77#a71 policy recommendations for the ,president to detect1 deter1 and respond to malign foreign influence operations and campaigns including with respect to covert activities pursuant to section #ejc2 and 7ii7 to monitor and assess foreign efforts to carry out such operations and campaigns4 7,d7 ,in coordination with the head of the ,global ,engagement ,center established by section #abhg of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjag 7,public ,law #aad-cbh2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bfef note71 to examine current and emerging foreign efforts to use disinformation and information operations relating to the threats described in paragraph 7#a74 7,e7 ,to identify and close gaps across the departments and agencies of the ,federal ,government with respect to expertise1 readiness1 and planning to address malign foreign influence operations and campaigns4 7,f7 ,to make information available to the public1 as the ,director of ,national ,intelligence considers appropriate1 regarding trends1 threats1 and tactics deployed by malign foreign influence operations and campaigns4 7,g7 ,to share information1 as the ,director of ,national ,intelligence considers appropriate1 with allied intelligence partners on malign foreign influence operations and campaigns and in so doing establish a two-way exchange of information about malign foreign influence operations and campaigns4 7#b7 ,scope ,the primary missions of the ,center shall apply to malign foreign influence operations and campaigns conducted by1 at the direction of1 on behalf of1 conspiring with1 aiding or abetting the efforts1 or acting with substantial support of the following countries3 7,a7 ,russia4 7,b7 ,iran4 7,c7 ,north ,korea4 7,d7 ,china4 7,e7 ,such other countries as the ,director of ,national ,intelligence determines appropriate for purposes of this section4 7#c7 ,limitations and requirements 7,a7 ,other provisions of law ,the ,center shall ensure that any actions taken pursuant to this subsection are consistent with other applicable limitations1 including applicable limitations on the collection1 retention1 dissemination1 and processing of intelligence1 under ,federal law1 including court orders and ,executive orders1 and any relevant agency guidelines or procedures4 7,b7 ,constitution 7i7 ,consistency ,the ,center shall ensure that activities undertaken pursuant to this section are conducted consistent with protections under the ,constitution4 7ii7 ,collection and maintenance ,the ,center may not directly collect information or maintain information about a ,united ,states person solely for the purpose of monitoring activities protected by the ,first ,amendment of the ,constitution or the lawful exercise of other rights secured by the ,constitution or laws of the ,united ,states4 7,c7 ,articulation of foreign connections and threats ,in receiving information arising out of an information collection effort in which the collection target is a ,united ,states person and such information is received from a relevant department or agency of the ,federal ,government participating in the mission of the ,center1 the ,center shall take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that such department or agency articulates a reasonable belief that the person is connected to a foreign power and such person and connection pose a threat to the ,united ,states4 7d7 ,director 7#a7 ,appointment ,there is a ,director1 who shall be the head of the ,center1 and who shall be appointed by the ,director of ,national ,intelligence1 with the concurrence of the ,secretary of ,state4 ,the ,director of the ,center may not simultaneously serve in any other capacity in the executive branch4 7#b7 ,reporting ,the ,director of the ,center shall directly report to the ,director of ,national ,intelligence4 7#c7 ,responsibilities ,the ,director of the ,center shall-- 7,a7 ensure that the relevant departments and agencies of the ,federal ,government participate in the mission of the ,center1 including by recruiting detailees from such departments and agencies in accordance with subsection 7g77#a72 and 7,b7 have primary responsibility within the ,united ,states ,government1 in coordination with the ,director of ,national ,intelligence1 for establishing requirements for the collection of intelligence related to1 or regarding1 malign foreign influence operations and campaigns1 in accordance with applicable provisions of law and ,executive orders4 7e7 ,annual reports 7#a7 ,in general ,at the direction of the ,director of ,national ,intelligence1 but not less than once each year1 the ,director of the ,center shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on malign foreign influence operations and campaigns4 7#b7 ,matters included ,each report under paragraph 7#a7 shall include1 with respect to the period covered by the report1 a discussion of the following3 7,a7 ,the nature of the malign foreign influence operations and campaigns4 7,b7 ,the ability of the ,united ,states ,government to counter and deter such operations and campaigns4 7,c7 ,the progress of the ,center in achieving the missions of the ,center4 7,d7 ,such recommendations as the ,director may determine necessary for legislative action to improve the ability of the ,center to achieve the missions of the ,center4 7,e7 ,any implications of the activities of the ,center as may regard the privacy and civil liberties of the people of the ,united ,states4 7,f7 ,recommendations-- 7i7 to improve on the activities of the ,center with respect to privacy and civil liberties2 and 7ii7 to improve privacy and civil liberties safeguards of the intelligence community for the people of the ,united ,states4 7#c7 ,form ,each report under paragraph 7#a7 shall be submitted in unclassified form1 but may include a classified annex4 7f7 ,annual independent review 7#a7 ,in general ,not less frequently than once each year1 the ,inspector ,general of the ,intelligence ,community shall conduct an independent review of the programs and activities of the ,center and submit to ,congress a report on the findings of the ,inspector ,general with respect to the review4 7#b7 ,matters included ,each report submitted under paragraph 7#a7 shall include1 with respect to the period covered by the report1 the following3 7,a7 ,discussion of the progress of the ,center in achieving the missions of the ,center4 7,b7 ,the effectiveness of integrating activities from agencies across the ,federal ,government into the operations of the ,center4 7,c7 ,such recommendations for legislative action as the ,inspector ,general may have to improve the ability of the ,center to achieve the missions of the ,center4 7,d7 ,such recommendations as the ,inspector ,general may have for improving intelligence gathering and sharing practices across the intelligence community relating to the mission and activities of the ,center4 7,e7 ,an assessment of the effect of the activities of the ,center on the privacy and civil liberties of the people of the ,united ,states and such recommendations as the ,inspector ,general may have to improve safeguards to privacy and civil liberties of the people of the ,united ,states4 7#c7 ,form ,each report under paragraph 7#a7 shall be submitted in unclassified form1 but may include a classified annex4 7g7 ,employees 7#a7 ,detailees ,any ,federal ,government employee may be detailed to the ,center on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis1 and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege for a period of not more than #h years4 7#b7 ,personal service contractors ,the ,director of ,national ,intelligence1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,state1 may hire ,united ,states citizens or aliens as personal services contractors for purposes of personnel resources of the ,center1 if-- 7,a7 the ,director of ,national ,intelligence determines that existing personnel resources are insufficient2 7,b7 the period in which services are provided by a personal services contractor1 including options1 does not exceed #c years1 unless the ,director of ,national ,intelligence determines that exceptional circumstances justify an extension of up to #a additional year2 7,c7 not more than #aj ,united ,states citizens or aliens are employed as personal services contractors under the authority of this paragraph at any time2 and 7,d7 the authority of this paragraph is only used to obtain specialized skills or experience or to respond to urgent needs4 7#c7 ,security clearances ,each employee detailed to the ,center and contractor of the ,center shall have the security clearance appropriate for the assigned duties of the employee or contractor4 7h7 ,board 7#a7 ,establishment ,there is established a ,board of the ,malign ,foreign ,influence ,response ,center 7in this section referred to as the ,board74 7#b7 ,functions ,the ,board shall conduct oversight to ensure the ,center is achieving the missions of the ,center4 7#c7 ,membership 7,a7 ,appointment ,the ,board shall consist of #h members as follows3 7i7 ,one senior official of the ,department of ,state appointed by the ,secretary of ,state4 7ii7 ,one senior official of the ,department of ,defense appointed by the ,secretary of ,defense4 7iii7 ,one senior official of the ,department of ,justice appointed by the ,attorney ,general4 7iv7 ,one senior official of the ,department of the ,treasury appointed by the ,secretary of the ,treasury4 7v7 ,one senior official of the ,department of ,homeland ,security appointed by the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security4 7vi7 ,one senior official of the ,central ,intelligence ,agency appointed by the ,director of the ,central ,intelligence ,agency4 7vii7 ,one senior official of the ,federal ,bureau of ,investigation appointed by the ,director of the ,federal ,bureau of ,investigation4 7viii7 ,the ,chief of the ,office of ,civil ,liberties1 ,privacy and ,transparency of the ,office of the ,director of ,national ,intelligence1 who shall serve as a member of the ,board without delegation to any other person4 7,b7 ,requirement ,each person appointed under clauses 7i7 through 7vii7 of subparagraph 7,a7 shall be appointed from among members of the ,senior ,executive ,service4 7#d7 ,meetings ,the ,board shall meet not less than semiannually and shall be convened by the member appointed by the ,secretary of ,state4 7#e7 ,outside experts ,the board may confer with appropriate outside experts with regard to improving the ability of the ,center to safeguard the privacy and civil liberties of the people of the ,united ,states4 7i7 ,international engagement ,the ,director of the ,center may convene semiannual conferences to coordinate international efforts to counter and deter malign foreign influence operations and campaigns4 7j7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize any activity1 including the collection1 retention1 or dissemination of intelligence information1 that was not already delegated to the ,director of ,national ,intelligence before the date of the enactment of the ,combatting ,foreign ,influence ,act of #bjai4 7k7 ,termination ,the ,center shall terminate on the date that is #h years after the date of the enactment of the ,combatting ,foreign ,influence ,act of #bjai4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents at the beginning of such ,act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #aai;,b the following new item3 ,sec4 #aai;,c4 ,malign ,foreign ,influence ,response ,center44 7c7 ,conforming amendment ,section #ejg7;a7 of such ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #cajf7 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#f7 ,an annual report submitted under section #aai;,c7e77#a74 4