Intelligence Issues for Congress
Role of the CIA
Intelligence reform legislation enacted in 2004 is having a
significant effect on the work of the
CIA. The CIA Director does not have the Community-wide
responsibilities that historically
absorbed the attention of the DCI, nor is he responsible for daily
morning briefings in the White
House. In his role as National Humint Manager, the CIA Director
oversees the National
Clandestine Service’s efforts humint collection by the CIA and
coordinates humint efforts by
other agencies. The CIA also retains primary responsibilities for
all-source analysis on a vast
array of international issues that are of concern to the U.S.
Government. Some observers suggest
that the CIA has lost stature as a result of the Intelligence Reform
Act that placed the DNI
between the head of the CIA and the President. Other observers
argue, however, that without the
burden of interagency coordination, the CIA Director is better
positioned to emphasize analytical
and humint collection activities. Congress has expressed concern
about both humint and the
conduct of analysis on repeated occasions and may choose to oversee
the CIA Director’s efforts
more closely.
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