Congress plays a critical role in ensuring that US intelligence is effective, accountable, and conducted in manner that protects the rights and privacy of all US citizens. The threat environment, rapid advances in technology, fiscal constraints, and trust-weakening public disclosures have created a “perfect storm” of challenges for US Intelligence and those charged with its oversight. In this session leaders of the Intelligence Oversight Committees will share their views on the state of US Intelligence and their plans for building on successes and addressing shortfalls.
Focus Questions:
Of the many challenges and opportunities facing US Intelligence, which do you consider most important and what are your plans for addressing them?
Given the dramatic advances in technology and their impact on the information the environment-particularly the wide availability of useful information that can be gathered from other than “secret” sources-- is it time, as former Congresswoman Jane Harman suggests, “to disrupt the IC” to ensure its future effectiveness?
Industry’s traditional partnership with US Intelligence has been strained both by unauthorized disclosures and ineffective acquisition processes. What can be done to ease that strain?