S 4876 · 119th CongressIntroduced

Rules for filling intelligence director vacancies

The vote

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Worked the bill

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In the distance

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Summary

What the bill does

This bill sets new rules for who can temporarily serve as Director of National Intelligence when the position is empty. It requires that the acting director be a Senate-confirmed official, first the Principal Deputy Director, then other confirmed officials in the intelligence community. Only if no such official is available can the President use the usual federal vacancy rules.

Why it matters

The stakes

The Director of National Intelligence oversees all U.S. intelligence agencies. This bill affects who can lead those agencies during a vacancy, which matters for national security and the chain of command.

The debate

What each side says

Supporters

Ensures that only Senate-confirmed officials can serve as acting director, maintaining accountability and expertise.bill
Prevents the President from appointing temporary directors who have not been vetted by the Senate.report

Critics

Limits the President's flexibility to quickly fill a vacancy with a trusted person who may not be Senate-confirmed.bill

Each point links to its source. The views are attributed to those sources, not stated as ours.

Lobbying filings, contributions, and votes are public records shown side by side. The further down the chain, the further the money is from this bill. This page does not assert that money caused any vote.