Historical Dictionary of United States Intelligence

intelligence. In response to past misdeeds, identified in the “Family

Jewels” document and congressional investigations, Congress es-

tablished the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) in

1976 and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

(HPSCI) in 1977 for the purpose of permanently and regularly con-

ducting oversight of U.S. intelligence activities. The armed services,

foreign relations, and appropriations committees in both chambers

also asserted some jurisdiction.

Since the late 1970s, legislative oversight has been both rigorous

and ongoing, prompting some intelligence officers to complain of

congressional “micromanagement.” Former DCI Robert M. Gates

has asserted that reporting requirements now place U.S. intelli-

gence, especially the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), halfway

between the White House and Congress. In addition to providing

information about their activities to executive bodies, intelligence

agencies now report on a regular basis to Congress. They do so

through oral briefings, testimonies, and myriad intelligence prod-

ucts, which routinely find their way to the oversight committees. As

such, Congress now serves in the dual roles of overseer and con-

sumer of intelligence. See also INTELLIGENCE OVERSIGHT

ACTOF 1980; INTELLIGENCE OVERSIGHTBOARD; ROCK-

EFELLER COMMISSION.

INTELLIGENCE OVERSIGHT ACT OF 1980.Acongressional at-

tempt to firm up legislative oversightof covert actionsin the wake

of the revelations in the 1970s, the act provided that the heads of in-

telligence agencies would keep the oversight committees “fully and

currently informed” of their activities including “any significant an-

ticipated intelligence activity.” The legislation also established de-

tailed ground rules for reporting covert actions to Congress and lim-

ited the number of congressional committees receiving notice of

covert actions to the two intelligence oversight committees. Prior to

the passage of the act, intelligence agencies reported to more than

eight congressional committees, including those overseeing foreign

relations and the defense establishment.

INTELLIGENCE OVERSIGHT BOARD (IOB).The Intelligence

Oversight Board was established in 1976 to review and oversee the

INTELLIGENCE OVERSIGHT BOARD•99

05-398 (2) Dictionary.qxd 10/20/05 6:27 AM Page 99