Bill > S2439

This bill, titled the NSA Internal Watchdog Act, proposes significant changes to the oversight of the National Security Agency (NSA) by amending the Inspector General Act of 1978. Primarily, it mandates that the Inspector General (IG) of the NSA, the official responsible for internal audits and investigations, be appointed by the President with the Senate's approval, elevating this position to be consistent with other high-level inspectors general. The bill also requires the NSA IG to conduct annual reviews of how employees and contractors can report issues, establish a General Counsel to exclusively advise the NSA IG, and grant the NSA IG subpoena power to compel testimony from former NSA personnel and contractors. Furthermore, it mandates that the NSA IG evaluate any instances where the Secretary of Defense prohibits an audit or investigation for national security reasons and report these instances to Congress, while also requiring audits of surveillance programs to assess their impact on civil rights and liberties, their effectiveness, and any improper use. Finally, the bill requires a comprehensive audit of the NSA's surveillance and data collection programs, its interactions with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), and its background investigation processes, with the results to be reported to Congress.