National Security Transparency Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6002 To require certain acting national security officials to appear before Congress, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 27, 2020 Ms. KELLY of Illinois introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider- ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To require certain acting national security officials to appear before Congress, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Security 4 Transparency Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:14 Mar 02, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6002.IH H6002 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6002 IH SEC. 2. ACTING NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIAL APPEAR- 1 ANCES BEFORE CONGRESS. 2 (a) INITIAL APPEARANCE.—Not later than 60 days 3 after the date that a vacancy occurs with respect to any 4 office listed in subsection (b), the individual serving as the 5 acting official or performing the duties for such office shall 6 appear before the applicable committees of Congress set 7 forth in such subsection for such office. 8 (b) OFFICES AND COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.— 9 (1) DOD.—The Secretary of Defense; the 10 Armed Services Committees of the House of Rep- 11 resentatives and the Senate. 12 (2) DHS.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu- 13 rity; the Committee on Homeland Security of the 14 House of Representatives and the Committee on 15 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 16 Senate. 17 (3) INTELLIGENCE OFFICES.—The Director of 18 the Central Intelligence Agency, the Director of the 19 National Security Agency, or the Director of Na- 20 tional Intelligence; the Permanent Select Committee 21 on Intelligence of the House of Representatives and 22 the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate. 23 (c) SUBSEQUENT APPEARANCES.— 24 (1) IN GENERAL.—Forty-five days following the 25 first appearance under subsection (a), and every 45 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:14 Mar 02, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6002.IH H6002 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6002 IH days thereafter until an individual is confirmed by 1 the Senate to the position with respect to which the 2 acting official pertains, the acting official shall tes- 3 tify, on an alternating basis, before the applicable 4 committees of the House of Representatives and the 5 Senate set forth in subsection (b). 6 (2) WAIVER.—The chair of any such committee 7 may waive the requirement of paragraph (1). 8 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:14 Mar 02, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H6002.IH H6002 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS