Title 50War and National DefenseRelease 119-73

§3361 National Virtual Translation Center

Title 50 › Chapter CHAPTER 45— - MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY AUTHORITIES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - COLLECTION, ANALYSIS, AND SHARING OF INTELLIGENCE › § 3361

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Director of National Intelligence must create a unit inside the intelligence community that links agencies that collect, store, translate, or analyze digital voice or data. It must provide timely, accurate translations of foreign intelligence by joining translation resources, using remote connections, and using other tools the Director approves. National Virtual Translation Center — the name of the unit, which connects agencies and handles those translations. The Director keeps direct control. The unit must use up-to-date information technology. Staff may work at any location certified as a secure facility by a U.S. department or agency, or at other sites the Director approves. The unit must be set up as soon as practicable after November 27, 2002, and no later than 90 days after that date.

Full Legal Text

Title 50, §3361

War and National Defense — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Director of National Intelligence shall establish in the intelligence community an element with the function of connecting the elements of the intelligence community engaged in the acquisition, storage, translation, or analysis of voice or data in digital form.
(b)The element established under subsection (a) shall be known as the National Virtual Translation Center.
(c)The element established under subsection (a) shall provide for timely and accurate translations of foreign intelligence for all elements of the intelligence community through—
(1)the integration of the translation capabilities of the intelligence community;
(2)the use of remote-connection capabilities; and
(3)the use of such other capabilities as the Director considers appropriate.
(d)(1)The Director shall retain direct supervision and control over the element established under subsection (a).
(2)The element established under subsection (a) shall connect elements of the intelligence community utilizing the most current available information technology that is applicable to the function of the element.
(3)Personnel of the element established under subsection (a) may carry out the duties and functions of the element at any location that—
(A)has been certified as a secure facility by a department or agency of the United States Government; or
(B)the Director has otherwise determined to be appropriate for such duties and functions.
(e)The element required by subsection (a) shall be established as soon as practicable after November 27, 2002, but not later than 90 days after November 27, 2002.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 404n of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Amendments

2023—Subsec. (d)(3)(B). Pub. L. 118–31 inserted period at end. 2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–458 substituted “Director of National Intelligence” for “Director of Central Intelligence, acting as the head of the intelligence community,”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–487, § 304(a)(2), added subsec. (c). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 108–487, § 304(a)(1), (b), redesignated subsec. (c) as (d) and added par. (3). Former subsec. (d) redesignated (e). Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 108–487, § 304(a)(1), redesignated subsec. (d) as (e).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2004 AmendmentFor Determination by President that amendment by Pub. L. 108–458 take effect on Apr. 21, 2005, see Memorandum of President of the United States, Apr. 21, 2005, 70 F.R. 23925, set out as a note under section 3001 of this title. Amendment by Pub. L. 108–458 effective not later than six months after Dec. 17, 2004, except as otherwise expressly provided, see section 1097(a) of Pub. L. 108–458, set out in an

Effective Date

of 2004 Amendment; Transition Provisions note under section 3001 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

50 U.S.C. § 3361

Title 50War and National Defense

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73