50 U.S. Code § 3059 - Foreign Malign Influence Response Center

(a) Establishment

There is within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence a Foreign Malign Influence Response Center (in this section referred to as the “Center”).

(b) Functions and composition

The Center shall—

(1) be comprised of analysts from all elements of the intelligence community, including elements with diplomatic and law enforcement functions;

(2) have access to all intelligence and other reporting possessed or acquired by the United States Government pertaining to foreign malign influence;

(3) serve as the primary organization in the United States Government for analyzing and integrating all intelligence possessed or acquired by the United States Government pertaining to foreign malign influence; and

(4) provide to employees and officers of the Federal Government in policy-making positions and Congress comprehensive assessments, and indications and warnings, of foreign malign influence.

(c) Director

(1) Appointment

There is a Director of the Center, who shall be the head of the Center, and who shall be appointed by the Director of National Intelligence.

(2) Role

The Director of the Center shall—

(A) report directly to the Director of National Intelligence;

(B) carry out the functions under subsection (b); and

(C) at the request of the President or the Director of National Intelligence, develop and provide recommendations for potential responses by the United States to foreign malign influence.

(d) Annual reports

(1) In general

In addition to the matters submitted pursuant to subsection (b)(4), at the direction of the Director of National Intelligence, but not less than once each year, the Director of the Center shall submit to the congressional intelligence committees, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on foreign malign influence.

(2) Matters included

Each report under paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to the period covered by the report, a discussion of the following:

(A) The most significant activities of the Center.

(B) Any recommendations the Director determines necessary for legislative or other actions to improve the ability of the Center to carry out its functions, including recommendations regarding the protection of privacy and civil liberties.

(e) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Covered foreign country

The term “covered foreign country” means the following:

(A) The Russian Federation.

(B) The Islamic Republic of Iran.

(C) The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

(D) The People’s Republic of China.

(E) Any other foreign country that the Director of the Center determines appropriate for purposes of this section.

(2) Foreign malign influence

The term “foreign malign influence” means any hostile effort undertaken by, at the direction of, or on behalf of or with the substantial support of, the government of a covered foreign country with the objective of influencing, through overt or covert means—

(A) the political, military, economic, or other policies or activities of the United States Government or State or local governments, including any election within the United States; or

(B) the public opinion within the United States.

(July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title I, § 119C, as added Pub. L. 116–92, div. E, title LIII, § 5322(a), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2129.)