www.crs.gov | 7-5700
June 27, 2018
U.S. Intelligence Community Elements: Establishment
Provisions
The concept of a U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) of
integrated component departments and agencies began to
take shape after World War II, in part through the
establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency. Prior to
that time, U.S. intelligence organizations existed within the
military services and largely operated independently of one
another. References to an Intelligence Community first
appear in the mid-1950s. The components of the IC were
first specified in statute by the Intelligence Organization
Act of 1992 (Title VII of P.L. 102-496). The IC has since
evolved into a federated community of 17 components
spread across 2 independent agencies and 6 separate
departments of the federal government.
Table 1 summarizes dates and directives for the
establishment of each of the 17 IC component
organizations. In some cases, such as the Navy’s Office of
Naval Intelligence, the intelligence organization predates
the IC concept. Although not included in statute as a part of
the IC, the establishment of the position of Under Secretary
of Defense (Intelligence) (USD(I)) is included in this listing
in reflection of the leadership the USD(I) exercises over
Department of Defense intelligence programs in
coordination with the Director of National Intelligence.
Table 1. U.S. Intelligence Community Elements: Establishment Dates and Mechanisms
Mechanism of Establishment
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
50 U.S.C. §3035. See also P.L. 80-253 §102 (National Security Act of 1947).
Department of Energy, Office of
Intelligence and Counterintelligence
(DOE/IN)
42 U.S.C. §7131. See also §201 of P.L. 95-91(DOE Act of 1977). DOE merged
its intelligence and counter-intelligence offices in 2006.
Department of Defense (DOD), National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
10 U.S.C. §441 and 50 U.S.C. §3045.The National Imagery and Mapping
Agency (NIMA) was established by P.L. 104-201 (National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY1997). NIMA was renamed NGA in 2003
under §921of P.L. 108-136 (FY2004 NDAA).
Department of Homeland Security
(DHS), U.S. Coast Guard Intelligence
(USCG/IN)
50 U.S.C. §401a(4)(H), later editorially reclassified as 50 U.S.C. §3003(4)(H).
See also §105 of P.L. 107-108 (Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for
FY2002).
b
DHS, Office of Intelligence and Analysis
(DHS/OIA)
6 U.S.C. §121. See also §201 of P.L. 107-296 (Homeland Security Act of 2002).
DOD, Under Secretary of Defense
(Intelligence)
d
10 U.S.C. §137. See also §901 of P.L. 107-314 (FY2003 NDAA).
Department of the Treasury, Office of
Intelligence and Analysis (Treasury/OIA)
31 U.S.C. §312. See also §105 of P.L. 108-177 (FY2004 IAA) which establishes
the OIA and the position of Assistant Secretary of Intelligence and Analysis
within Treasury’s Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
Office of the Director of National
Intelligence, and Director of National
Intelligence (ODNI and DNI)
50 U.S.C. §3023-3026. See also §1011 and §3003 of P.L. 108-458 (Intelligence
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004).
Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), Intelligence Branch
(FBI/IB)
28 U.S.C. §532 note and §2002 in P.L. 108-458, creating an FBI “Directorate of
Intelligence [DI].” In 2005, the DI was incorporated into a newly created
National Security Branch (NSB). As of July 2014, the DI was aligned under a
newly established Intelligence Branch—a branch separate and distinct from the
NSB.
c
