Title 50 — War and National DefenseRelease 119-73
§3506 General authorities
Title 50 › Chapter CHAPTER 46— - CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY › § 3506
Summary
Allows the CIA to move and receive money with other federal agencies if the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) agrees. The Agency can share and use those funds for its missions even if other laws would normally stop such transfers. It can also trade funds more freely, pay other agencies when their staff work for the CIA, and accept staff detailed from other agencies. The Director may let certain CIA people carry firearms. Inside the United States, that is only for training, protecting secrets, Agency buildings and property, protecting current and former Agency and Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) personnel and their immediate families, protecting people nominated to be Agency or ODNI Directors, and protecting defectors and others under Agency care. The CIA can make repairs and pay rent on places it rents, set minimum and maximum ages for certain operational hires, sign leases that last up to 15 years, and provide living allowances for staff sent to harsh overseas posts when the Director approves. If the CIA uses a multiyear lease, Congress must provide money in advance either for the whole lease or for the first 12 months plus the estimated cost if the lease ends early. If only the first 12 months are funded, the lease must allow termination if later funds are not provided, and money set aside for termination costs stays available until those costs are paid. Money set aside for termination can also pay later rent if it is more than the termination cost. Money for a fiscal year can be used to pay a lease for up to 12 months starting anytime that year. Money given for buying land and moved to another agency stays available for 3 years, and each time that happens the Director must report it to the House and Senate intelligence committees.
Full Legal Text
Title 50, §3506
War and National Defense — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)In the performance of its functions, the Central Intelligence Agency is authorized to—
(1)Transfer to and receive from other Government agencies such sums as may be approved by the Office of Management and Budget, for the performance of any of the functions or activities authorized under section 3036 of this title, and any other Government agency is authorized to transfer to or receive from the Agency such sums without regard to any provisions of law limiting or prohibiting transfers between appropriations. Sums transferred to the Agency in accordance with this paragraph may be expended for the purposes and under the authority of this chapter without regard to limitations of appropriations from which transferred;
(2)Exchange funds without regard to section 3651 of the Revised Statutes;
(3)Reimburse other Government agencies for services of personnel assigned to the Agency, and such other Government agencies are authorized, without regard to provisions of law to the contrary, so to assign or detail any officer or employee for duty with the Agency;
(4)Authorize personnel designated by the Director to carry firearms to the extent necessary for the performance of the Agency’s authorized functions, except that, within the United States, such authority shall be limited to the purposes of—
(A)the training of Agency personnel and other authorized persons in the use of firearms;
(B)the protection of classified materials and information;
(C)the protection of installations and property of the Agency;
(D)the protection of—
(i)current and former Agency personnel and their immediate families;
(ii)individuals nominated by the President to the position of Director (including with respect to an individual whom a President-elect (as defined in section 3(c) of the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 (3 U.S.C. 102 note) has declared an intent to nominate) and their immediate families; and
(iii)defectors and their immediate families, and other persons in the United States under Agency auspices; and
(E)with respect to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the protection of—
(i)installations and property of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence;
(ii)the Director of National Intelligence and the immediate family of the Director;
(iii)current and former personnel of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and their immediate families as the Director of National Intelligence may designate; and
(iv)individuals nominated by the President to the position of Director of National Intelligence (including with respect to an individual whom a President-elect has declared an intent to nominate) and their immediate families;
(5)Make alterations, improvements, and repairs on premises rented by the Agency, and pay rent therefor;
(6)Determine and fix the minimum and maximum limits of age within which an original appointment may be made to an operational position within the Agency, notwithstanding the provision of any other law, in accordance with such criteria as the Director, in his discretion, may prescribe;
(7)Notwithstanding section 1341(a)(1) of title 31, enter into multiyear leases for up to 15 years; and
(8)Upon the approval of the Director, provide, during any fiscal year, with or without reimbursement, subsistence to any personnel assigned to an overseas location designated by the Agency as an austere location.
(b)(1)The authority to enter into a multiyear lease under subsection (a)(7) shall be subject to appropriations provided in advance for—
(A)the entire lease; or
(B)the first 12 months of the lease and the Government’s estimated termination liability.
(2)In the case of any such lease entered into under subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1)—
(A)such lease shall include a clause that provides that the contract shall be terminated if budget authority (as defined by section 622(2) of title 2) is not provided specifically for that project in an appropriations Act in advance of an obligation of funds in respect thereto;
(B)notwithstanding section 1552 of title 31, amounts obligated for paying termination costs with respect to such lease shall remain available until the costs associated with termination of such lease are paid;
(C)funds available for termination liability shall remain available to satisfy rental obligations with respect to such lease in subsequent fiscal years in the event such lease is not terminated early, but only to the extent those funds are in excess of the amount of termination liability at the time of their use to satisfy such rental obligations; and
(D)funds appropriated for a fiscal year may be used to make payments on such lease, for a maximum of 12 months, beginning any time during such fiscal year.
(c)(1)Sums appropriated or otherwise made available to the Agency for the acquisition of land that are transferred to another department or agency for that purpose shall remain available for 3 years.
(2)The Director shall submit to the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives a report on the transfer of sums described in paragraph (1) each time that authority is exercised.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
section 3651 of the Revised Statutes, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), was classified to section 543 of former Title 31, and was repealed by Pub. L. 97–258, § 5(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1084, the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Finance. section 3(c) of the Presidential Transition Act of 1963, referred to in subsec. (a)(4)(D)(ii), is section 3(c) of Pub. L. 88–277, which is set out in a note under section 102 of Title 3, The President. Codification Section was formerly classified to section 403f of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section. Some section numbers of this title referenced in amendment notes below reflect the classification of such sections prior to their editorial reclassification.
Prior Provisions
A prior section 5 of act June 20, 1949, was renumbered section 4 and is classified to section 3505 of this title.
Amendments
2022—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 117–263, § 6414(a), amended par. (4) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (4) read as follows: “Authorize personnel designated by the Director to carry firearms to the extent necessary for the performance of the Agency’s authorized functions, except that, within the United States, such authority shall be limited to the purposes of protection of classified materials and information, the training of Agency personnel and other authorized persons in the use of firearms, the protection of Agency and Office of the Director of National Intelligence installations and property, the protection of current and former Agency personnel and their immediate families, defectors and their immediate families, and other persons in the United States under Agency auspices, and the protection of the Director of National Intelligence and current and former personnel of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and their immediate families as the Director of National Intelligence may designate;”. Pub. L. 117–263, § 6303(b), inserted “and Office of the Director of National Intelligence” after “protection of Agency”. Subsec. (a)(7), (8). Pub. L. 117–263, § 6414(c), realigned margins. 2019—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 116–92, § 6411(1), substituted “section 3036 of this title,” for “section 3036 of this title.,”. Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 116–92, § 6401, substituted “current and former personnel of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and their immediate families as the Director of National Intelligence may designate;” for “such personnel of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as the Director of National Intelligence may designate;”. Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 116–92, § 6411(2)–(4), added par. (8). 2010—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–259, § 802(1), substituted “authorized under section 403–4a of this title.” for “authorized under paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 403(a) of this title, subsections (c)(7) and (d) of section 403–3 of this title, subsections (a) and (g) of section 403–4 of this title, and section 405 of this title”. Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 111–259, § 421, substituted “the protection of current” for “and the protection of current” and inserted “, and the protection of the Director of National Intelligence and such personnel of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as the Director of National Intelligence may designate” before the semicolon. 2003—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 108–177 substituted “(c)(7)” for “(c)(6)”. 2002—Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 107–306 substituted “a report on the transfer of sums described in paragraph (1) each time that authority is exercised.” for “an annual report on the transfers of sums described in paragraph (1).” 2000—Pub. L. 106–567 added subsec. (a) and (b) headings and subsec. (c). 1998—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 105–272, § 403(a)(1), substituted “paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 403(a)” for “subparagraphs (B) and (C) of section 403(a)(2)” and “(c)(6)” for “(c)(5)” and made technical
Amendments
to references in original act which appear in text as references to section 403, 403–3, 403–4 of this title. Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 105–272, § 401, substituted “and the protection of current and former Agency personnel and their immediate families, defectors and their immediate families,” for “and the protection of Agency personnel and of defectors, their families,”. 1997—Pub. L. 105–107 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), redesignated former subsecs. (a) to (f) as pars. (1) to (6), respectively, of subsec. (a), in par. (5) substituted semicolon for “without regard to limitations on expenditures contained in the Act of
June 30, 1932, as amended: Provided, That in each case the Director shall certify that exception from such limitations is necessary to the successful performance of the Agency’s functions or to the security of its activities; and”, and added par. (7) and subsec. (b). 1993—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–178 substituted “Office of Management and Budget” for “Bureau of the Budget” and “subparagraphs (B) and (C) of section 403(a)(2) of this title, subsections (c)(5) and (d) of section 403–3 of this title, subsections (a) and (g) of section 403–4 of this title, and section 405 of this title” for “section 403 and 405 of this title”. 1983—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 98–215 added subsec. (f). 1981—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97–89 substituted “Authorize personnel designated by the Director to carry firearms to the extent necessary for the performance of the Agency’s authorized functions, except that, within the United States, such authority shall be limited to the purposes of protection of classified materials and information, the training of Agency personnel and other authorized persons in the use of firearms, the protection of Agency installations and property, and the protection of Agency personnel and of defectors, their families, and other persons in the United States under Agency auspices; and” for “Authorize couriers and guards designated by the Director to carry firearms when engaged in transportation of confidential documents and materials affecting the national defense and security;”. 1964—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 88–448 repealed subsec. (f) which authorized employment of not more than fifteen retired officers who must elect between civilian salary and retired pay. See section 3101 et seq. of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. 1951—Subsec. (f). Act
June 26, 1951, added subsec. (f).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2000 Amendment Pub. L. 106–567, title IV, § 405(c), Dec. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 2849, provided that: “Subsection (c) of section 5 of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 [50 U.S.C. 3506(c)], as added by subsection (a) of this section, shall apply with respect to amounts appropriated or otherwise made available for the Central Intelligence Agency for fiscal years after fiscal year 2000.”
Effective Date
of 1997 Amendment Pub. L. 105–107, title IV, § 401(b), Nov. 20, 1997, 111 Stat. 2257, provided that: “The
Amendments
made by subsection (a) [amending this section] apply to multiyear leases entered into under section 5 of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 [this section], as so amended, on or after October 1, 1997.”
Effective Date
of 1981 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 97–89 effective Oct. 1, 1981, see section 806 of Pub. L. 97–89, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 1621 of Title 10, Armed Forces.
Effective Date
of 1964 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 88–448 effective on first day of first month which begins later than the ninetieth day following Aug. 19, 1964, see section 403 of Pub. L. 88–448, title IV, Aug. 19, 1964, 78 Stat. 496. Historical Advisory Panel of Central Intelligence Agency Pub. L. 117–263, div. F, title LXIV, § 6413, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3527, provided that: “(a) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that Congress expresses its appreciation—“(1) to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for reconstituting the Historical Advisory Panel; and “(2) for the important work of the Historical Advisory Panel, especially for—“(A) the efforts of the Panel to aid with the declassification of materials that enrich the historical national security record; and “(B) the assistance of the Panel in liaison with the scholarly community. “(b) Reporting Requirement.—The Historical Advisory Panel shall report directly to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. “(c) Historical Advisory Panel Defined.—The term ‘Historical Advisory Panel’ means the panel of the Central Intelligence Agency, regardless of the name of the panel, that assists in conducting declassification reviews and providing other assistance with respect to matters of historical interest.” Restriction on Transfer of Funds Available to Central Intelligence Agency for Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities Pub. L. 118–47, div. A, title VIII, § 8050(b), Mar. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 496, provided that: “None of the funds available to the Central Intelligence Agency for any fiscal year for drug interdiction or counter-drug activities may be transferred to any other department or agency of the United States except as specifically provided in an appropriations law.” Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation acts: Pub. L. 117–328, div. C, title VIII, § 8051(b), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 4599. Pub. L. 117–103, div. C, title VIII, § 8052(b), Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 188. Pub. L. 116–260, div. C, title VIII, § 8047(b), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 1316. Pub. L. 116–93, div. A, title VIII, § 8047(b), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2348. Pub. L. 115–245, div. A, title VIII, § 8045(b), Sept. 28, 2018, 132 Stat. 3012. Pub. L. 115–141, div. C, title VIII, § 8045(b), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 475. Pub. L. 115–31, div. C, title VIII, § 8047(b), May 5, 2017, 131 Stat. 259. Pub. L. 114–113, div. C, title VIII, § 8046(b), Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2362. Pub. L. 113–235, div. C, title VIII, § 8045(b), Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2264. Pub. L. 113–76, div. C, title VIII, § 8045(b), Jan. 17, 2014, 128 Stat. 115. Pub. L. 113–6, div. C, title VIII, § 8045(b), Mar. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 308. Pub. L. 112–74, div. A, title VIII, § 8045(b), Dec. 23, 2011, 125 Stat. 817. Pub. L. 112–10, div. A, title VIII, § 8045(b), Apr. 15, 2011, 125 Stat. 67. Pub. L. 111–118, div. A, title VIII, § 8047(b), Dec. 19, 2009, 123 Stat. 3439. Pub. L. 110–329, div. C, title VIII, § 8047(b), Sept. 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 3632. Pub. L. 110–116, div. A, title VIII, § 8048(b), Nov. 13, 2007, 121 Stat. 1325. Pub. L. 109–289, div. A, title VIII, § 8045(b), Sept. 29, 2006, 120 Stat. 1283. Pub. L. 109–148, div. A, title VIII, § 8052(b), Dec. 30, 2005, 119 Stat. 2710. Pub. L. 108–287, title VIII, § 8057(b), Aug. 5, 2004, 118 Stat. 983. Pub. L. 108–87, title VIII, § 8057(b), Sept. 30, 2003, 117 Stat. 1085. Pub. L. 107–248, title VIII, § 8058(b), Oct. 23, 2002, 116 Stat. 1550. Pub. L. 107–117, div. A, title VIII, § 8063(b), Jan. 10, 2002, 115 Stat. 2261. Pub. L. 106–259, title VIII, § 8062(b), Aug. 9, 2000, 114 Stat. 688. Pub. L. 106–79, title VIII, § 8065(b), Oct. 25, 1999, 113 Stat. 1244. Pub. L. 105–262, title VIII, § 8065(b), Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2312. Pub. L. 105–56, title VIII, § 8071(b), Oct. 8, 1997, 111 Stat. 1235. Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, § 101(b) [title VIII, § 8080(b)], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–71, 3009–104. Pub. L. 104–61, title VIII, § 8096(b), Dec. 1, 1995, 109 Stat. 671. Pub. L. 103–335, title VIII, § 8154(b), Sept. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 2658.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
50 U.S.C. § 3506
Title 50 — War and National Defense
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73