Title 50War and National DefenseRelease 119-73

§3316b Continuity of operations plans for certain elements of the intelligence community in the case of a national emergency

Title 50 › Chapter CHAPTER 45— - MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY AUTHORITIES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - BUDGET AND OVERSIGHT › § 3316b

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Requires the leaders of six intelligence agencies to make and use plans that keep their work going during certain national emergencies. A "covered national emergency" means one of four things: a presidential major disaster, a presidential emergency, a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act, or a public health emergency. The Director of National Intelligence, the CIA Director, the NRO Director, the DIA Director, the NSA Director, and the NGA Director must each have a continuity plan for their agency. Within 7 days after one of those emergencies is declared, the DNI and CIA must send their plan to the congressional intelligence committees. The NRO, DIA, NSA, and NGA must send their plans to the congressional intelligence committees and to both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees. During the emergency, any updates to those plans must be sent the same way and in a timely manner as required by law.

Full Legal Text

Title 50, §3316b

War and National Defense — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section, the term “covered national emergency” means the following:
(1)A major disaster declared by the President under section 5170 of title 42.
(2)An emergency declared by the President under section 5191 of title 42.
(3)A national emergency declared by the President under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).
(4)A public health emergency declared under section 247d of title 42.
(b)The Director of National Intelligence, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office, the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Director of the National Security Agency, and the Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency shall each establish continuity of operations plans for use in the case of covered national emergencies for the element of the intelligence community concerned.
(c)(1)Not later than 7 days after the date on which a covered national emergency is declared, the Director of National Intelligence and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency shall each submit to the congressional intelligence committees the plan established under subsection (b) for that emergency for the element of the intelligence community concerned.
(2)Not later than 7 days after the date on which a covered national emergency is declared, the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office, the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Director of the National Security Agency, and the Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency shall each submit the plan established under subsection (b) for that emergency for the element of the intelligence community concerned to the following:
(A)The congressional intelligence committees.
(B)The Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.
(C)The Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
(d)During a covered national emergency, the Director of National Intelligence, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office, the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Director of the National Security Agency, and the Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency shall each submit any updates to the plans submitted under subsection (c)—
(1)in accordance with that subsection; and
(2)in a timely manner consistent with section 3091 of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The National Emergencies Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), is Pub. L. 94–412, Sept. 14, 1976, 90 Stat. 1255, which is classified principally to chapter 34 (§ 1601 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1601 of this title and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Definitions For definitions of “congressional intelligence committees” and “intelligence community” as used in this section, see section 2 of div. W of Pub. L. 116–260, set out as a note under section 3003 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

50 U.S.C. § 3316b

Title 50War and National Defense

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73