This bill, the Department of Homeland Security Intelligence and Analysis Training Act, aims to standardize and enhance the training for employees of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis within the Department of Homeland Security. The bill specifies the content of the standardized training, including civil rights, intelligence community standards, open source intelligence collection, and specialized and advanced training. The Secretary is required to track the training progress of employees and provide reports to congressional committees. Additionally, the Comptroller General is tasked with comparing the curriculum of training with that of other intelligence community elements and the Department of Defense, aiming to identify opportunities for improvement in the management of training.
Department of Homeland Security Intelligence and Analysis Training Act
This bill requires the Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to implement training programs for new I&A employees, including training on federal privacy rights and civil liberties.
Specifically, I&A must implement standard, entry-level training for all new hires, including training on federal privacy rights, civil rights, civil liberties, and information practices.
New hires in analytic positions must also receive training on (1) intelligence community (IC) analytic standards; and (2) I&A’s mission to integrate intelligence operations DHS-wide and to share intelligence with state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners.
New hires in open-source intelligence collection positions must also receive training on (1) principles of open-source intelligence collection and data management, including how to navigate sources and use data in accordance with federal law and policy; and (2) IC open-source intelligence collection standards and related DHS authorities.
Further, I&A must develop specialized training curricula, including raw intelligence release authority training, to improve I&A operations and promote professional development. I&A must periodically provide employees with a list of specialized training offered by other IC elements and the Department of Defense (DOD). I&A must also implement a system to track employee completion of training.
Finally, the Government Accountability Office must submit a report to Congress on the implementation of these provisions, including a comparison of training developed under these provisions and training provided by other IC elements and DOD.
