Intelligence Oversight
Intelligence oversight is the set of checks that keep secret agencies answerable to elected officials and the public. Because intelligence work is hidden by design, outside review matters more than it does for most agencies. Congress, inspectors general, advisory boards, and the president's own staff each review intelligence activity in different ways and with different powers.
People usually ask who is allowed to watch agencies that operate in secret, what those reviewers can see, and what they can do when they find a problem. They also ask how a presidential advisory board differs from a congressional committee or the National Security Council, and how reform recommendations travel from investigators to decision-makers.
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All Articles on Intelligence Oversight
How the PIAB Investigates Intelligence Agencies and Pushes for Reforms
While congressional committees and courts provide external checks, the President's Intelligence Advisory Board serves as the president's oversight mechanism, designed to provide candid, expert…
National Security Council vs. President’s Intelligence Advisory Board
The National Security Council is often in the headlines when international crises break. The President's Intelligence Advisory Board operates in secrecy. Both wield significant…
The President’s Intelligence Advisory Board
In recent decades, most presidents have relied on a small group called the President's Intelligence Advisory Board. The Board gives 16 distinguished private citizens…
How Congress Watches the National Security Council
The National Security Council operates at the center of American foreign policy, advising the President on matters of war and peace. This powerful executive…