U.S. Code > Title 50 War and National Defense > CHAPTER 15—NATIONAL SECURITY (§§ 401—442a) > SUBCHAPTER III—ACCOUNTABILITY FOR INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES (§§ 413—415c) > § 413. General Congressional oversight provisions

§ 413. General Congressional oversight provisions

(a) Reports to Congressional committees of intelligence activities and anticipated activities
(1) The President shall ensure that the congressional intelligence committees are kept fully and currently informed of the intelligence activities of the United States, including any significant anticipated intelligence activity as required by this subchapter.
(2) Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed as requiring the approval of the congressional intelligence committees as a condition precedent to the initiation of any significant anticipated intelligence activity.
(b) Reports concerning illegal intelligence activities
The President shall ensure that any illegal intelligence activity is reported promptly to the congressional intelligence committees, as well as any corrective action that has been taken or is planned in connection with such illegal activity.
(c) Procedures for reporting information
The President and the congressional intelligence committees shall each establish such procedures as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this subchapter.
(d) Procedures to protect from unauthorized disclosure
The House of Representatives and the Senate shall each establish, by rule or resolution of such House, procedures to protect from unauthorized disclosure all classified information, and all information relating to intelligence sources and methods, that is furnished to the congressional intelligence committees or to Members of Congress under this subchapter. Such procedures shall be established in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence. In accordance with such procedures, each of the congressional intelligence committees shall promptly call to the attention of its respective House, or to any appropriate committee or committees of its respective House, any matter relating to intelligence activities requiring the attention of such House or such committee or committees.
(e) Construction of authority conferred
Nothing in this Act shall be construed as authority to withhold information from the congressional intelligence committees on the grounds that providing the information to the congressional intelligence committees would constitute the unauthorized disclosure of classified information or information relating to intelligence sources and methods.
(f) “Intelligence activities” defined
As used in this section, the term “intelligence activities” includes covert actions as defined in section 413b (e) of this title, and includes financial intelligence activities.