Congress and Intelligence

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Strategic Intelligence is a critical instrument that law makers utilize to help make assessments on U.S. national/international policies. Congress proper role in Strategic Intelligence should be the following: budget management, overseeing the strategic intelligence activities and ensuring laws are being followed to protect the people of the United States. Congress depends on the Intelligence Community, for information and support. While the Intelligence agencies depends on Congress for adequate funding for their missions, projects, programs, and research. Congress plays a vital role in the oversight of strategic intelligence. This essentially put the intelligence agencies into a democracy, which this country is based upon. Congress can basically make sure the Intelligence Community are doing their jobs and ensure they aren’t abusing there powers. Congress and the Intelligence agencies got off to a rough start. In the beginning the intelligence agencies were conducting various operations, that congress was never aware of. The intelligence agencies were doing both legal and illegal operations for numerous years. However the Watergate scandal was the peak of events that had occurred, and from that congressional organizations emerge. Rather than congress coming together, they created their own special committee to conduct an investigation of domestic and foreign intelligence. The Church and Pike committee conducting their own investigation on the CIA and both of their findings were “...found evidence of spying on American citizens, illegal wiretapping, and cover-ups. As a result, Senate Resolution 400 in 1976 and House Resolution 658 in 1977 established the intelligence committees to prevent future abuses of a power and maintain o... ... middle of paper ... ... the Congress can now and will continue to develop support together. There will be obstacles along the way, but ultimately they are both better because of it. The proper role in oversight of strategic intelligence activities should be to continued to ensure they aren’t violating any rights, or abusing powers. Works Cited Erwin, Marshall C., and Amy Belasco. "Intelligence Spending and Appropriations: Issues for Congress." Congressional Research Service. N.p., 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. . Rosenbach, Eric. ""Congressional Oversight of the Intelligence Community"" Congressional Oversight of the Intelligence Community. Belfer Center, July 2009. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. .

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