Historical Dictionary of United States Intelligence

approving authority for covert action programs, that he so designates

by signing a “finding,” and that he affirms that the programs are in

support of identifiable policy objectives. The finding must list all U.S.

government agencies that have a role to play in the program, as well as

any “third party” foreign governments. The U.S. government cannot

use covert action programs to influence U.S. political processes, me-

dia, policies, or public opinion. Finally, no part of a covert action pro-

gram can violate the Constitution or any federal laws in force.

INTELLIGENCE BUDGETS. See JOINT MILITARY INTELLI-

GENCE PROGRAM; NATIONAL FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE

PROGRAM; TACTICAL INTELLIGENCE AND RELATED AC-

TIVITIES.

INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY (IC). The U.S. intelligence commu-

nity is now comprised of 15 agencies, 14 of which belong to specific

policy departments. The agencies of the Department of Defense

(DOD) are the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA); the National Se-

curity Agency (NSA);army intelligence; Office of Naval Intelli-

gence (ONI);air force intelligence,surveillance, and reconnais-

sance; marine corps intelligence; the National Reconnaissance

Office (NRO); and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

(NGA). The intelligence offices of the Departmentsof Treasury and En-

ergy andDepartment of Homeland Security (DHS) are also mem-

bers. The Coast Guard—which is within the DHS—the counterintel-

ligencecomponent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and

the State Department’sBureau of Intelligence and Research (INR)

are official members of the intelligence community. The Central Intel-

ligence Agency (CIA) is the only member of the IC that is independent

of a policy department; the CIAreports directly to the president of the

United States through the National Security Council (NSC). Prior to

the National Security Act of 1947, the IC existed informally as a con-

glomeration of existing agencies. However, with the passage of the

1947 act, the IC became a legal entity and grew from a handful to

the 15 competing and highly fractious entities they are today, under the

nominal control of the director of central intelligence (DCI).

INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY STAFF (ICS).The Intelligence

Community Staff was the director of central intelligence’s(DCI’s)

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