U.S. Intelligence Law

Presidential documents empowering and guiding the intelligence community are usually executive orders, directives, and executive agreements. Many of these instruments are classified and therefore unavailable to researchers. See our Presidential Documents research guide for more specific information and sources for locating publicly-available documents. Unlike directives, executive orders must be printed in the Federal Register to take legal effect. They are then published in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 3, The President.

Agency regulations are found as proposed rules in the Federal Register along with notices of proposed rulemakings. Final regulations are codified in the Code of Federal Regulations.

Intelligence Community directives, policy guidance and memoranda are available online at the ODNI's IC Policy Reports & Reports page.

Federal statutes are found in the United States Code:

Although the National Security Act requires intelligence activities to be specifically authorized, this requirement has been met in past years by one-sentence catchall provisions in defense appropriations acts authorizing intelligence activities. See CRS Report R40240. Also see CRS Report R43793 for all Intelligence Authorizations, FY2000-FY2015.

Note: Appropriations Acts are not laws of a general and permanent nature and therefore are not codified in the United States Code. Instead, search for the public law, if it's a recently passed law, or consult the United States Statutes at Large:

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review (FISCR) were established by Congress in 1978. The FISC "entertains applications made by the United States Government for approval of electronic surveillance, physical search, and certain other forms of investigative actions for foreign intelligence purposes." Public filings are posted on the Court's website.

Federal Case Law Reporters

Location:  BURNS (2ND FL)