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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHOUSE SPENDING BILL CHANGES LAW TO LET TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SECRETLY SHIFT INTELLIGENCE MONEY
THE HOUSE SPENDING bill released Wednesday would allow President Trump, or people under him, to secretly shift money to fund intelligence programs, a break with 70 years of governing tradition.
Since 1947, section 504 of the National Security Act has mandated that the administration inform Congress if it intends to shift money from one intelligence project to another, if the new project has not been authorized by Congress. That notification can be and almost always is done in secret, but it is at least a minimal check on executive power.
The spending bill currently under consideration, known as a continuing resolution, or CR, breaks with that tradition, allowing funds to be obligated and expended notwithstanding section 504(a)(1) of the National Security Act of 1947.
Section 504(a)(1) is the piece of the law that requires intelligence agencies to spend the money on the program the money was appropriated for. Appropriated funds available to an intelligence agency may be obligated or expended for an intelligence or intelligence-related activity only if those funds were specifically authorized by the Congress for use for such activities; or
The or refers to the intelligence communitys obligation to inform Congress of any deviation. But without any obligation to spend funds as specifically authorized, there is no obligation to inform Congress if thats not happening.
Thats not how this issue has been dealt with in previous CRs. Heres what the language typically looks like:
Funds appropriated by this Act, or made available by the transfer of funds in this Act, for intelligence or intelligence related activities are deemed to be specifically authorized by the Congress for purposes of section 504 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 414) during [fiscal year] until the enactment of the Intelligence Authorization Act for [insert fiscal year].
https://theintercept.com/2018/01/17/section-504-house-spending-bill-changes-law-to-let-trump-administration-secretly-shift-intelligence-money/
BigmanPigman
(51,611 posts)They have been doing this right and left for a year. I hope this can be undone quickly if we ever regain control of Congress.
BadgerMom
(2,771 posts)global1
(25,253 posts)What could they do (in reality) now that they couldn't do before this change?
Roland99
(53,342 posts)Trump's secret brown-shirted militia isn't going to pay for itself, is it?
Deb
(3,742 posts)It's a GOP dream. Steal, bribe... No repercussions. An organized criminal's dream.
OregonBlue
(7,754 posts)own Brown Shirt Army.