The House Intelligence Committee has advanced its fiscal 2027 authorization legislation, which includes provisions for a cyberthreat intelligence sharing pilot program for state and local governments, enhanced election security measures, and increased utilization of artificial intelligence within the intelligence community. The bill was approved on Monday.
The proposed legislation mandates the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to select one state for a year-long pilot program. This state would receive monthly, unclassified briefings on timely, specific, and actionable cyberthreat intelligence from the ODNI, Department of Homeland Security, and FBI, among other agencies. Following the pilot, the ODNI would report on the feasibility of expanding such a briefing program to a wider array of state and local governments.
Amidst reported frustrations with federal cyber aid cutbacks and a shift of responsibility to local levels, the bill also requires the ODNI to develop a strategy for information sharing with state and local entities. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is tasked with assessing the current state of such sharing, including efforts by relevant agencies, deconfliction processes, and obstacles posed by security clearances.
Regarding election security, the committee adopted three amendments from Democratic members. One amendment requires the intelligence community to publish an unclassified assessment of foreign intelligence threats to the 2026 midterm elections. Another would partially withhold funding for the ODNI until overdue reports on the 2024 and 2026 elections are submitted to Congress. A third amendment aims to protect intelligence analysts from retribution by intelligence community leadership for their work on intelligence products related to foreign influence in U.S. elections.
The legislation also focuses on artificial intelligence, proposing a significant increase in funding for expanded access and use of advanced AI models for intelligence and cyber missions. It seeks to codify and expand the role of the Artificial Intelligence Security Center at the National Security Agency and strengthen information sharing on AI threats.
House Intelligence Chairman Rick Crawford stated that the bill balances transparency and accountability with equipping the intelligence community to combat evolving threats, with a particular emphasis on the global AI competition.
Furthermore, the bill orders an assessment from the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence of the Department of Energy concerning foreign cyberthreats to critical energy infrastructure, including their intent and associated risks. Historically, annual intelligence authorization bills, or parts of them, are often incorporated into the National Defense Authorization Act, which typically reaches the president's desk by the end of the calendar year.
