US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

50 U.S.C. § 3094

Funding of intelligence activities

(a)

Obligations and expenditures for intelligence or intelligence-related activity; prerequisites

Appropriated funds available to an intelligence agency may be obligated or expended for an intelligence or intelligence-related activity only if—
(1)
those funds were specifically authorized by Congress for use for such intelligence or intelligence-related activities; or
(2)
section 3093 of this title in the case of funds from the Reserve for Contingencies of the Central Intelligence Agency and consistent with the provisions of concerning any significant anticipated intelligence activity, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency has notified the appropriate congressional committees of the intent to make such funds available for such activity; or
(3)
in the case of funds specifically authorized by the Congress for a different activity—
(A)
the activity to be funded is a higher priority intelligence or intelligence-related activity;
(B)
the use of such funds for such activity supports an emergent need, improves program effectiveness, or increases efficiency; and
(C)
the Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of Defense, or the Attorney General, as appropriate, has notified the appropriate congressional committees of the intent to make such funds available for such activity;
(4)
nothing in this subsection prohibits obligation or expenditure of funds available to an intelligence agency in accordance with sections 1535 and 1536 of title 31.
(b)

Activities denied funding by Congress

Funds available to an intelligence agency may not be made available for any intelligence or intelligence-related activity for which funds were denied by the Congress.

(c)

Presidential finding required for expenditure of funds on covert action

section 3093(e) of this titlesection 3093 of this titleNo funds appropriated for, or otherwise available to, any department, agency, or entity of the United States Government may be expended, or may be directed to be expended, for any covert action, as defined in , unless and until a Presidential finding required by subsection (a) of has been signed or otherwise issued in accordance with that subsection.

(d)

Report to congressional committees required for expenditure of nonappropriated funds for intelligence activity

(1)
Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, funds available to an intelligence agency that are not appropriated funds may be obligated or expended for an intelligence or intelligence-related activity only if those funds are used for activities reported to the appropriate congressional committees pursuant to procedures which identify—
(A)
the types of activities for which nonappropriated funds may be expended; and
(B)
the circumstances under which an activity must be reported as a significant anticipated intelligence activity before such funds can be expended.
(2)
Procedures for purposes of paragraph (1) shall be jointly agreed upon by the congressional intelligence committees and, as appropriate, the Director of National Intelligence or the Secretary of Defense.
(e)

Definitions

As used in this section—
(1)
the term “intelligence agency” means any department, agency, or other entity of the United States involved in intelligence or intelligence-related activities;
(2)
the term “appropriate congressional committees” means the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(3)
the term “specifically authorized by the Congress” means that—
(A)
the activity and the amount of funds proposed to be used for that activity were identified in a formal budget request to the Congress, but funds shall be deemed to be specifically authorized for that activity only to the extent that the Congress both authorized the funds to be appropriated for that activity and appropriated the funds for that activity; or
(B)
although the funds were not formally requested, the Congress both specifically authorized the appropriation of the funds for the activity and appropriated the funds for the activity.

July 26, 1947, ch. 343Pub. L. 99–169, title IV, § 401(a)99 Stat. 1004Pub. L. 102–88, title VI105 Stat. 441Pub. L. 107–306, title III, § 353(b)(3)(D)116 Stat. 2402Pub. L. 108–458, title I, § 1071(a)(1)(Z)118 Stat. 3689Pub. L. 111–259, title III, § 362124 Stat. 2701Pub. L. 116–92, div. E, title LXVII, § 6742(b)(13)133 Stat. 2240Pub. L. 117–103, div. X, title V, § 503136 Stat. 986(, title V, § 504, formerly § 502, as added , , ; renumbered § 504 and amended , §§ 602(a)(1), (c)(1), 603, , , 444; , , ; , (AA), (5), , , 3690; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Codification

section 414 of this titleSection was formerly classified to 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.

Amendments

Pub. L. 117–1032022—Subsec. (a)(1). amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: “those funds were specifically authorized by the Congress for use for such activities; or”.

Pub. L. 116–922019—Subsec. (a)(3)(B). realigned margin.

Pub. L. 111–2592010—Subsec. (a)(3)(B). amended subpar. (B) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (B) read as follows: “the need for funds for such activity is based on unforseen requirements; and”.

Pub. L. 108–458, § 1071(a)(5)2004—Subsec. (a)(2). , substituted “Director of the Central Intelligence Agency” for “Director of Central Intelligence”.

Pub. L. 108–458, § 1071(a)(1)(Z)Subsec. (a)(3)(C). , substituted “Director of National Intelligence” for “Director of Central Intelligence”.

Pub. L. 108–458, § 1071(a)(1)(AA)Subsec. (d)(2). , substituted “Director of National Intelligence” for “Director of Central Intelligence”.

Pub. L. 107–3062002—Subsec. (d)(2). substituted “congressional intelligence committees” for “intelligence committees”.

Pub. L. 102–88, § 602(c)(1)1991—Subsec. (a)(2). , substituted “section 413b” for “section 413”.

Pub. L. 102–88, § 603Subsecs. (c) to (e). , added subsecs. (c) and (d) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (e).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2004 Amendment

Pub. L. 108–458section 3001 of this titleFor Determination by President that amendment by take effect on , see Memorandum of President of the United States, , 70 F.R. 23925, set out as a note under .

Pub. L. 108–458section 1097(a) of Pub. L. 108–458section 3001 of this titleAmendment by effective not later than six months after , except as otherwise expressly provided, see , set out in an Effective Date of 2004 Amendment; Transition Provisions note under .

Sense of Congress Regarding Disclosure of Annual Intelligence Budget

Pub. L. 102–496, title III, § 303106 Stat. 3183

“It is the sense of Congress that, beginning in 1993, and in each year thereafter, the aggregate amount requested and authorized for, and spent on, intelligence and intelligence-related activities should be disclosed to the public in an appropriate manner.”
Pub. L. 102–183, title VII, § 701105 Stat. 1270, , , provided that: Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation act: , , .

Enhanced Security Countermeasures Capabilities; Application of Section

Pub. L. 99–169, title IV, § 401(c)99 Stat. 1006section 401(a) of Pub. L. 99–169enhanced security countermeasures capabilitiesPub. L. 99–8899 Stat. 311, , , provided that the amendment made by , enacting this section, would not apply with respect to funds appropriated to the Director of Central Intelligence under the heading “” in the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1985, , , .