January 06, 2005
JNCL-NCLIS Legislative Alert
Intelligence/National Security Reform and Authorization Bills Signed into Law.
Just before Congress closed the book on its 108th session, President Bush signed P.L. 108-796 - The National Security Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 into law on December 17, 2004. This legislation strengthens the national intelligence programs based on the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. Below are some of the programs that concern the language community. To read a complete copy of The National Security Intelligence Reform Act of 2004, please visit the JNCL-NCLIS website.
The largest change to the intelligence community will be the establishment of a Director of National Intelligence. The primary duties of the National Intelligence Director (NID) will be to serve as the head of the intelligence community, advise the President and his staff on intelligence matters relating to homeland security and to oversee and direct the implementation of the national intelligence program.
Languages also play a large part in the reformation of the intelligence community. There are several provisions that call upon intelligence agencies such as the CIA and FBI to develop and maintain their language programs. In addition to agency specific improvements, this bill develops a plan for the Improvement of Education for the Intelligence Community. Finding that foreign language education is essential for the development of a highly-skilled workforce for the intelligence community, this legislation requires the NID to undertake a thorough review of the linguistic requirements for the Office of the National Intelligence Director and to develop a plan to meet these requirements through the education, recruitment and training of linguists.
This bill establishes an Intelligence Community Scholarship Program which will award scholarships to individuals and is designed to recruit and prepare students for civilian careers in intelligence agencies. The recipient must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time student at an institution of higher education to pursue undergraduate or graduate education in fields that are critical to national security, as determined by the NID. The list of these fields has not been released. A portion of the scholarship will be set aside for current employees of agencies to enhance their education in areas of critical need. As with other government scholarship programs, there is a service requirement. Recipients awarded this scholarship are obligated to serve as an employee of the agency for 24 months for each academic year for which the scholarship was awarded. The total amount service will not exceed eight years.
In addition to improving language education, this bill strengthens public diplomacy training. In the recruiting, training and assignment of members of the Foreign Service, the Act calls for the Secretary of State to give special consideration to individuals with language experience in particular countries and regions. The Secretary of State is also charged with the duty to increase the number of Foreign Service Officers proficient in languages spoken in countries with predominantly Muslim populations.
One section of the 9/11 bill establishes various programs that will expand US scholarship and exchange programs in the Islamic world. Such programs will include youth exchange, young ambassadors, international visitors, academic and cultural exchange, American Corner, library programs, journalist exchange, sister-city, and other people-to-people diplomacy activities.
A pilot program that will be established through the Department of State will offer grants to American-sponsored schools in predominantly Muslim countries. These grants will provide full or partial merit-based scholarships to students from lower-income and middle-income families in predominantly Muslim countries to attend the American-sponsored elementary and secondary-level schools.
A third program established through this legislation is the International Youth Opportunity Fund. Through existing international organizations such as the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), this fund will provide financial assistance for the improvement of public education in the Middle East and other predominantly Muslim populations, implement education programs targeting women and girls and adult literacy, support the acquisition of basic education tools and establish trade and vocational schools.
In addition to the 9/11 Intelligence Reform Bill, Congress passed the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (P.L. 108-487). This act authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 2005 for intelligence-related activities. Included within this bill are changes to the National Security Education Program (NSEP). Some of these modifications include an authorization to appropriate $8 million to maintain the program and the establishment of a scholarship program within NSEP for English language studies for heritage community citizens of the US.
Along with increasing the educational opportunities for language learning, the Intelligence Authorization Act also looks to improve the foreign language skills in the intelligence community. This bill would establish a language proficiency requirement for employees in certain positions within the intelligence community and a language program to advance the foreign language skills critical to national security interests. A Civilian Linguistic Corps pilot program would be established and be comprised of people who are available to be called up to perform federal service in areas relating to their language expertise.