United States intelligence budget
Encyclopedia
The United States intelligence budget comprises all the funding for the 16 agencies of the United States Intelligence Community
. These agencies and other programs fit into one of the intelligence budget’s two components, the National Intelligence Program (NIP) and the Military Intelligence Program (MIP). As with other parts of the federal budget, the US intelligence budget runs according to the Fiscal year (FY), not the calendar year. Before government finances are spent on intelligence, the funds must first be authorized and appropriated by committees in both the United States House of Representatives
and the United States Senate
. Pursuant to a suggestion by 9/11 Commission
, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) released the top line amount given to the NIP for fiscal year 2009
as 49.8 billion USD. In FY2010, the NIP budget was 53.1 billion USD, and the MIP budget 27 billion USD, amounting to a total of 80 billion USD.
List of Agencies and Programs by Component
Mark M. Lowenthal
's Budget Cycle
See The United States Budget Process
for more information regarding the budget process and cycle.
Congressional Entities Responsible for Intelligence Budget Oversight
See United States Intelligence Community Oversight
for more general information on the oversight of the Intelligence Community.
United States Intelligence Community
The United States Intelligence Community is a cooperative federation of 16 separate United States government agencies that work separately and together to conduct intelligence activities considered necessary for the conduct of foreign relations and the protection of the national security of the...
. These agencies and other programs fit into one of the intelligence budget’s two components, the National Intelligence Program (NIP) and the Military Intelligence Program (MIP). As with other parts of the federal budget, the US intelligence budget runs according to the Fiscal year (FY), not the calendar year. Before government finances are spent on intelligence, the funds must first be authorized and appropriated by committees in both the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. Pursuant to a suggestion by 9/11 Commission
9/11 Commission
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up on November 27, 2002, "to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks", including preparedness for and the immediate response to...
, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) released the top line amount given to the NIP for fiscal year 2009
United States federal budget, 2009
The United States federal budget for fiscal year 2009 was a spending request by President George W. Bush to fund government operations for October 2008-September 2009...
as 49.8 billion USD. In FY2010, the NIP budget was 53.1 billion USD, and the MIP budget 27 billion USD, amounting to a total of 80 billion USD.
National Intelligence Program
The National Intelligence Program, under budgetary control of the DNI, comprises the agencies and programs formerly under the National Foreign Intelligence Program. This adjustment was made to better include domestic intelligence programs and intelligence arms of the Department of Homeland Security.Military Intelligence Program
In September 2005, the Military Intelligence Program was established by combining all of the agencies formerly under the Joint Military Intelligence Program (JMIP) and most of the program from the former Tactical Intelligence and Related Activities (TIARA) group.List of Agencies and Programs by Component
| National Intelligence Program | Military Intelligence Program |
|---|---|
| Central Intelligence Agency Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers... (CIA) |
Army Military Intelligence (MI) |
| Counterintelligence - Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime... (FBI) |
Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency (AF ISR) |
| Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) - Department of State (DoS) | Marine Corps Intelligence Activity Marine Corps Intelligence Activity The Marine Corps Intelligence Activity , is a field activity of Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps and a member of both the Defense Intelligence Enterprise and the United States Intelligence Community... (MCIA) |
| Office of Intelligence Support - Department of Treasury | Office of Naval Intelligence Office of Naval Intelligence The Office of Naval Intelligence was established in the United States Navy in 1882. ONI was established to "seek out and report" on the advancements in other nations' navies. Its headquarters are at the National Maritime Intelligence Center in Suitland, Maryland... (ONI) |
| National Security Agency National Security Agency The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S... (NSA) |
Special Operations Command United States Special Operations Command The United States Special Operations Command is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States Armed Forces. The command is part of the Department of Defense... (SOCOM) |
| National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) | Defense Cryptologic Program (DCP) |
| Foreign Counterintelligence Program (FCIP) - Department of Defense | Defense General Intelligence Applications Program (DGIAP) |
| General Defense Intelligence Program (GDIP) | Defense Imagery and Mapping Program |
| National Imagery and Mapping Program | Defense Intelligence Tactical Program (DITP) |
| National Reconnaissance Office(NRO) National Reconnaissance Office The National Reconnaissance Office , located in Chantilly, Virginia, is one of the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies. It designs, builds, and operates the spy satellites of the United States government.-Mission:... |
Defense Intelligence Special Technologies Program (DISTP) |
| Community Management Account (CMA) | Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Program (DARP) |
| CIA Retirement and Disability System (CIARDS) | Defense Intelligence Counter-drug Program (DICP) |
| Consolidated Cryptographic Program (CCP) | Defense Space Reconnaissance Program (DSRP) |
Budget cycle
It takes just over three years for a budget to complete a full cycle from development to execution.Mark M. Lowenthal
Mark M. Lowenthal
Dr. Mark Lowenthal is an author and Adjunct Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University. Lowenthal has written five books and over 90 articles or studies on intelligence and national security...
's Budget Cycle
| Year | Activity | Activity (detail) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Planning: Guidance | Broad guidelines of planning, programming, and budgeting are established. |
| 2 | Programming: Request and Review | Program resources are projected for future year requirements for dollar and manpower resources. |
| 3 | Budgeting: Build and Submit | Money or authority available to purchase goods and services or hire people is set. |
| 4 | Execution: Obligate and Spend | Money on authorized programs is committed and spent. |
See The United States Budget Process
United States budget process
The process of creating the budget for the United States government is known as the budget process. The framework used by Congress to formulate the budget was established by the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, and by other budget...
for more information regarding the budget process and cycle.
Congressional oversight
The U.S. Congress derives its oversight powers of the intelligence budget from Article I, Section 9, paragraph 7, of the U.S. Constitution that states, "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law." Congress's authorization and appropriation functions consist of approving programs and activities, and allocating precise dollar amounts to be authorized programs respectively.Congressional Entities Responsible for Intelligence Budget Oversight
| Senate | House of Representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Authorization | Senate Select Committee on Intelligence | House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence |
| Appropriation | Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense | House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense* |
- *The House Select Intelligence Oversight Panel provides budgetary and oversight recommendations.
See United States Intelligence Community Oversight
United States Intelligence Community Oversight
United States Intelligence Community Oversight duties are shared by both the executive and legislative branches of the government. Oversight, in this case, is the supervision of intelligence agencies, and making them accountable for their actions...
for more general information on the oversight of the Intelligence Community.
Recent news
On 30 October 2009, DNI Dennis Blair released information regarding the FY2009 budget for the National Intelligence Program. It stated:
Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair released today the fiscal year 2009 budget figure for the National Intelligence Program (NIP). The Director disclosed that the aggregate amount appropriated to the NIP for fiscal year 2009 was $49.8 Billion.
As required by Public Law 110-53, the Director of National Intelligence disclosed the aggregate amount of funds appropriated by Congress to the NIP for fiscal year 2009 within 30 days after the end of the fiscal year.
This figure is up from $47.5 billion in 2008, $43.5 billion in 2007, and $40.9 billion in 2006.
External links