Report of Attorney General to Congressional committees; limitation on authority or responsibility of information gathering activities of Congressional committees; report of Congressional committees to Congress

50 U.S.C. § 1808

• Title: 50 — War and National Defense
• Chapter: SUBCHAPTER I—ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE

Text

(a)(1) On a semiannual basis the Attorney General shall fully inform the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate concerning all electronic surveillance under this subchapter. Nothing in this subchapter shall be deemed to limit the authority and responsibility of the appropriate committees of each House of Congress to obtain such information as they may need to carry out their respective functions and duties.
(2) Each report under the first sentence of paragraph (1) shall include a description of—
(A) the total number of applications made for orders and extensions of orders approving electronic surveillance under this subchapter where the nature and location of each facility or place at which the electronic surveillance will be directed is unknown;
(B) each criminal case in which information acquired under this chapter has been authorized for use at trial during the period covered by such report;
(C) the total number of emergency employments of electronic surveillance under section 1805(e) of this title and the total number of subsequent orders approving or denying such electronic surveillance; and
(D) the total number of authorizations under section 1805(f) of this title and the total number of subsequent emergency employments of electronic surveillance under section 1805(e) of this title or emergency physical searches pursuant to section 301(e).1
(b) On or before one year after October 25, 1978, and on the same day each year for four years thereafter, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence shall report respectively to the House of Representatives and the Senate, concerning the implementation of this chapter. Said reports shall include but not be limited to an analysis and recommendations concerning whether this chapter should be (1) amended, (2) repealed, or (3) permitted to continue in effect without amendment.

History

(Pub. L. 95–511, title I, §108, Oct. 25, 1978, 92 Stat. 1795; Pub. L. 106–567, title VI, §604(a), Dec. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 2853; Pub. L. 109–177, title I, §108(c), Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 204; Pub. L. 110–261, title I, §105(b), July 10, 2008, 122 Stat. 2462; Pub. L. 114–23, title VI, §605(a), title VII, §701(c), June 2, 2015, 129 Stat. 297, 299.)

Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes

References in Text
Section 301, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(D), means section 301 of Pub. L. 95–511, which is classified to section 1821 of this title, relates to definitions for terms used in subchapter II of this chapter, and does not contain a subsec. (e). Section 304(e) of Pub. L. 95–511, which is classified to section 1824(e) of this title, relates to authorizations and orders for emergency physical searches.
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original "this Act", meaning Pub. L. 95–511, Oct. 25, 1978, 92 Stat. 1783, known as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1801 of this title and Tables.

Amendments
2015—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 114–23, §605(a), substituted "the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate" for "the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate,".
Subsec. (a)(2)(D). Pub. L. 114–23, §701(c), added subpar. (D).
2008—Subsec. (a)(2)(C). Pub. L. 110–261 substituted "1805(e)" for "1805(f)".
2006—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 109–177, §108(c)(1), inserted ", and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate," after "Senate Select Committee on Intelligence".
Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 109–177, §108(c)(2), amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: "Each report under the first sentence of paragraph (1) shall include a description of—
"(A) each criminal case in which information acquired under this chapter has been passed for law enforcement purposes during the period covered by such report; and
"(B) each criminal case in which information acquired under this chapter has been authorized for use at trial during such reporting period."
2000—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106–567 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2008 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 110–261 effective July 10, 2008, except as provided in section 404 of Pub. L. 110–261, set out as a Transition Procedures note under section 1801 of this title, see section 402 of Pub. L. 110–261, set out as an Effective Date of 2008 Amendment note under section 1801 of this title.