Title 50 — War and National Defense
Chapter 45 — Miscellaneous Intelligence Community Authorities
§ 3365. Foreign intelligence information
Statutory text
In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be lawful for foreign intelligence or counterintelligence (as defined in section 3003 of this title) or foreign intelligence information obtained as part of a criminal investigation to be disclosed to any Federal law enforcement, intelligence, protective, immigration, national defense, or national security official in order to assist the official receiving that information in the performance of his official duties. Any Federal official who receives information pursuant to this provision may use that information only as necessary in the conduct of that person’s official duties subject to any limitations on the unauthorized disclosure of such information. Consistent with the responsibility of the Director of Central Intelligence to protect intelligence sources and methods, and the responsibility of the Attorney General to protect sensitive law enforcement information, it shall be lawful for information revealing a threat of actual or potential attack or other grave hostile acts of a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power, domestic or international sabotage, domestic or international terrorism, or clandestine intelligence gathering activities by an intelligence service or network of a foreign power or by an agent of a foreign power, within the United States or elsewhere, obtained as part of a criminal investigation to be disclosed to any appropriate Federal, State, local, or foreign government official for the purpose of preventing or responding to such a threat. Any official who receives information pursuant to this provision may use that information only as necessary in the conduct of that person’s official duties subject to any limitations on the unauthorized disclosure of such information, and any State, local, or foreign official who receives information pursuant to this provision may use that information only consistent with such guidelines as the Attorney General and Director of Central Intelligence shall jointly issue.
Definition
In this section, the term “foreign intelligence information” means—
information, whether or not concerning a United States person, that relates to the ability of the United States to protect against—
actual or potential attack or other grave hostile acts of a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power;
sabotage or international terrorism by a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power; or
clandestine intelligence activities by an intelligence service or network of a foreign power or by an agent of a foreign power; or
information, whether or not concerning a United States person, with respect to a foreign power or foreign territory that relates to—
the national defense or the security of the United States; or
the conduct of the foreign affairs of the United States.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
International Money Laundering Abatement and Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001
Pub. L. 107–56 title II § 203(d) · 115 Stat. 272
Enacted · 50 U.S.C. § 3365
Pub. L. 107–56, title II, § 203(d), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 281
Source evidence
Code source credit
Pub. L. 107–56, title II, § 203(d), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 281Enacted provision · exact public law section
(d) Foreign Intelligence Information.— (1) In general.— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be lawful for foreign intelligence or counterintelligence (as defined in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a)) or foreign intelligence information obtained as part of a criminal investigation to be disclosed to any Federal law enforcement, intelligence, protective, immigration, national defense, or national security official in order to assist the official receiving that information in the performance of his official duties. Any Federal official who receives information pursuant to this provision may use that information only as necessary in the conduct of that person’s official duties subject to any limitations on the unauthorized disclosure of such information. (2) Definition.— In this subsection, the term “foreign intelligence information” means— (A) information, whether or not concerning a United States person, that relates to the ability of the United States to protect against— (i) actual or potential attack or other grave hostile acts of a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power; (ii) sabotage or international terrorism by a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power; or (iii) clandestine intelligence activities by an intelligence service or network of a foreign power or by an agent of a foreign power; or (B) information, whether or not concerning a United States person, with respect to a foreign power or foreign territory that relates to— (i) the national defense or the security of the United States; or (ii) the conduct of the foreign affairs of the United States.Homeland Security Information Sharing Act
Pub. L. 107–296 title VIII § 897(a) · 116 Stat. 2135
Repealed · 50 U.S.C. § 3365(1)
Pub. L. 107–296, 897(a), which inserted at end “Consistent with the responsibility of the Director of Central Intelligence to protect intelligence sources and methods, and the responsibility of the Attorney General to protect sensitive law enforcement information, it shall be lawful for information revealing a threat of actual or potential attack or other grave hostile acts of a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power, domestic or international sabotage, domestic or international terrorism, or clandestine intelligence gathering activities by an intelligence service or network of a foreign power or by an agent of a foreign power, within the United States or elsewhere, obtained as part of a criminal investigation to be disclosed to any appropriate Federal, State, local, or foreign government official for the purpose of preventing or responding to such a threat. Any official who receives information pursuant to this provision may use that information only as necessary in the conduct of that person’s official duties subject to any limitations on the unauthorized disclosure of such information, and any State, local, or foreign official who receives information pursuant to this provision may use that information only consistent with such guidelines as the Attorney General and Director of Central Intelligence shall jointly issue.”, was repealed by Pub. L. 117–347, § 323(a)(1)(A). Repeal to have no effect on amendment by Pub. L. 107–296, see Construction of 2023 Amendment note set out under section 2517 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Par. (1). Pub. L. 107–296, 897(a), which inserted at end “Consistent with the responsibility of the Director of Central Intelligence to protect intelligence sources and methods, and the responsibility of the Attorney General to protect sensitive law enforcement information, it shall be lawful for information revealing a threat of actual or potential attack or other grave hostile acts of a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power, domestic or international sabotage, domestic or international terrorism, or clandestine intelligence gathering activities by an intelligence service or network of a foreign power or by an agent of a foreign power, within the United States or elsewhere, obtained as part of a criminal investigation to be disclosed to any appropriate Federal, State, local, or foreign government official for the purpose of preventing or responding to such a threat. Any official who receives information pursuant to this provision may use that information only as necessary in the conduct of that person’s official duties subject to any limitations on the unauthorized disclosure of such information, and any State, local, or foreign official who receives information pursuant to this provision may use that information only consistent with such guidelines as the Attorney General and Director of Central Intelligence shall jointly issue.”, was repealed by Pub. L. 117–347, § 323(a)(1)(A). Repeal to have no effect on amendment by Pub. L. 107–296, see Construction of 2023 Amendment note set out under section 2517 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(a) Dissemination Authorized.— Section 203(d)(1) of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-56; 50 U.S.C. 403-5d) is amended by adding at the end the following: “Consistent with the responsibility of the Director of Central Intelligence to protect intelligence sources and methods, and the responsibility of the Attorney General to protect sensitive law enforcement information, it shall be lawful for information revealing a threat of actual or potential attack or other grave hostile acts of a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power, domestic or international sabotage, domestic or international terrorism, or clandestine intelligence gathering activities by an intelligence service or network of a foreign power or by an agent of a foreign power, within the United States or elsewhere, obtained as part of a criminal investigation to be disclosed to any appropriate Federal, State, local, or foreign government official for the purpose of preventing or responding to such a threat. Any official who receives information pursuant to this provision may use that information only as necessary in the conduct of that person’s official duties subject to any limitations on the unauthorized disclosure of such information, and any State, local, or foreign official who receives information pursuant to this provision may use that information only consistent with such guidelines as the Attorney General and Director of Central Intelligence shall jointly issue.”.Effective date note
Amendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective 60 days after Nov. 25, 2002, see section 4 of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as an Effective Date note under section 101 of Title 6, Domestic Security.Abolish Trafficking Reauthorization Act of 2022
Pub. L. 117–347 § 323(a)(1)(A) · 136 Stat. 6199
Repealed · 50 U.S.C. § 3365(1)
Pub. L. 117–347, § 323(a)(1)(A), repealed Pub. L. 107–296, § 897(a). See 2002 Amendment note below
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Par. (1). Pub. L. 117–347, § 323(a)(1)(A), repealed Pub. L. 107–296, § 897(a). See 2002 Amendment note below.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(A) by striking sections 895 through 899; 18 USC 2517 and note; 18 USC app. 6; 50 USC 1806, 1825, 3365. and
3 of 3 references resolved to an enrolled provision
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to section 403–5d of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.
Amendments2002–2023 · 2 rounds
2023
Par. (1). Pub. L. 117–347, § 323(a)(1)(A), repealed Pub. L. 107–296, § 897(a). See 2002 Amendment note below.
2002
Par. (1). Pub. L. 107–296, 897(a), which inserted at end “Consistent with the responsibility of the Director of Central Intelligence to protect intelligence sources and methods, and the responsibility of the Attorney General to protect sensitive law enforcement information, it shall be lawful for information revealing a threat of actual or potential attack or other grave hostile acts of a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power, domestic or international sabotage, domestic or international terrorism, or clandestine intelligence gathering activities by an intelligence service or network of a foreign power or by an agent of a foreign power, within the United States or elsewhere, obtained as part of a criminal investigation to be disclosed to any appropriate Federal, State, local, or foreign government official for the purpose of preventing or responding to such a threat. Any official who receives information pursuant to this provision may use that information only as necessary in the conduct of that person’s official duties subject to any limitations on the unauthorized disclosure of such information, and any State, local, or foreign official who receives information pursuant to this provision may use that information only consistent with such guidelines as the Attorney General and Director of Central Intelligence shall jointly issue.”, was repealed by Pub. L. 117–347, § 323(a)(1)(A). Repeal to have no effect on amendment by Pub. L. 107–296, see Construction of 2023 Amendment note set out under section 2517 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
Reference to the Director of Central Intelligence or the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in the Director’s capacity as the head of the intelligence community deemed to be a reference to the Director of National Intelligence. Reference to the Director of Central Intelligence or the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in the Director’s capacity as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency deemed to be a reference to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. See section 1081(a), (b) of Pub. L. 108–458, set out as a note under section 3001 of this title.
Effective Date of 2002 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective 60 days after , see section 4 of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as an Effective Date note under section 101 of Title 6, Domestic Security.