IC ON THE RECORD

DNI Clapper Directs Annual Release of Information Related to Orders Issued Under National Security Authorities

August 29, 2013

In June, President Obama directed the Intelligence Community (IC) to declassify and make public as much information as possible about certain sensitive U.S. Government surveillance programs while being mindful of the need to protect sensitive classified intelligence and national security.

Consistent with this directive and in the interest of increased transparency, the DNI has determined, with the concurrence of the IC, that going forward the IC will publicly release, on an annual basis, aggregate information concerning compulsory legal process under certain national security authorities.

Specifically, for each of the following categories of national security authorities, the IC will release the total number of orders issued during the prior twelve-month period, and the number of targets affected by these orders:

FISA orders based on probable cause ( Titles I and III of FISA, and sections 703 and 704).
Section 702 of FISA
FISA Business Records (Title V of FISA).
FISA Pen Register/Trap and Trace ( Title IV of FISA)
National Security Letters issued pursuant to 12 U.S.C. § 3414(a)(5), 15 U.S.C. §§ 1681u(a) and (b), 15 U.S.C. § 1681v, and 18 U.S.C. § 2709.

Our ability to discuss these activities is limited by our need to protect intelligence sources and methods.

FISA and national security letters are an important part of our effort to keep the nation and its citizens safe, and disclosing more detailed information about how they are used and to whom they are directed can obviously help our enemies avoid detection.

These reports, like other unclassified information related to foreign intelligence surveillance activities, will be available on our Community website established at the direction of the President. The new www.icontherecord.tumblr.com is designed to provide immediate, ongoing and direct access to factual information related to the lawful foreign surveillance activities carried out by the U.S. Intelligence Community.

James R. Clapper
Director of National Intelligence

[Updated: 8/31/2013 to remove “to Telecom Providers” from title.]