§3027 National Intelligence Council

Summary

Creates a National Intelligence Council made of senior intelligence analysts and experts from the public and private sectors. Council members are picked by the Director of National Intelligence, report to the Director, and can be removed by the Director. The Director must set security rules for outside experts and contractors to protect sources and methods while avoiding unnecessary, overly intrusive checks. The Council must write national intelligence estimates (including different views), review how the whole intelligence community collects and produces intelligence and its resource needs, and help the Director carry out his duties. Under the Director’s direction, Council members act as the intelligence community’s senior advisers inside the U.S. government. The Council may hire contractors and the Director must give it needed staff. The Council must be available to policymakers and other appropriate people. Heads of intelligence agencies must support the Council when the Director asks. A “National Intelligence Council product” means an estimate or other assessment that gives the intelligence community’s overall judgment.