Intelligence Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1988
Public Law 100-178 · H.R. 2112 · 100th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Dec 2, 1987 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Louis Stokes (D-OH-21)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Intelligence Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1988 - Title I: Intelligence Activities - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1988 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities in specified departments and agencies of the U.S. Government, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Department of Defense. Authorizes such funds based upon two alternative levels of new budget authority.
Declares that the authorized amounts and personnel ceilings for such intelligence activities are those specified in the classified schedule of authorizations prepared by the conference committee to accompany this Act.
Authorizes the Director of Central Intelligence to employ civilian personnel in excess of the ceiling for such personnel when necessary to the performance of important intelligence functions.
Restricts support for military and paramilitary operations in Nicaragua.
Title II: Intelligence Community Staff - Authorizes appropriations for the Intelligence Community Staff for FY 1988.
Establishes an end strength ceiling of 237 full-time Intelligence Community Staff employees. Provides that such staff shall be administered in the same manner as the CIA.
Title III: Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System - Authorizes appropriations for the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability Fund for FY 1988.
Title IV: Retirement and Death in Service Benefits - Amends the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement Act of 1964 for Certain Employees to provide that certain former spouses of CIA employees are entitled to retirement benefits and survivor annuities.
Title V: Enhanced Counterintelligence and Security Capabilities - Requires the Attorney General to submit annual reports to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees on the admission to the United States, over the objections of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, of certain Soviet diplomatic personnel.
Requires the Director of the FBI and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to conduct a study to ascertain the effect on recruitment, retention, and operations of employees in the New York Field Division of the FBI caused by the usual living expenses associated with such employment.
Title VI: Defense Intelligence Personnel Improvements - Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to pay a uniform allowance to civilian employees of the Defense Attache Offices located outside the United States. Extends through FY 1989 the Secretary's special authority to terminate the employment of Defense Intelligence Agency employees and Department of Defense military intelligence personnel.
Exempts the Defense Intelligence Agency from any requirement to disclose information on its organization, functions, or personnel. States that such exemption shall not apply to any responsibility of the DIA to report to the Congress.
Title VII: Study of Intelligence Personnel Systems - Requires the Director of Central Intelligence to contract with the National Academy of Public Administration to review and analyze all personnel management and compensation systems affecting civilian intelligence community personnel.
Title VIII: General Provisions - Provides that the authorization of appropriations by this Act shall not constitute authority for the conduct of any intelligence activity which is not otherwise authorized by the Constitution or laws of the United States.
Title IX: Mount Alto Embassy Site - Requires the Secretary of Defense to review and assess the present and potential capabilities of the Soviet Union to intercept United States communications from facilities on Mount Alto in the District of Columbia. Requires the Secretary to submit a report on such capabilities to the Congress.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 28 actions.
- Dec 2, 1987Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-178.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 20, 1987PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 18, 1987Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
- Nov 17, 1987Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference papers: message on House action held at the desk.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
- Nov 12, 1987Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference papers: Senate report and managers' statement held at the desk.
- Nov 10, 1987Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference Report 100-432 Filed in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference Report 100-432 Filed in House.
- Jul 29, 1987Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Request for Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Aspin, Stratton, Dickinson.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Request for Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Stokes, McCurdy, Beilenson, Kastenmeier, Daniel, Roe, Brown (CA), McHugh, Dwyer (NJ), Wilson, Kennelly, Hyde, Cheney, Livingston, McEwen, Lungren, Shuster.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Disagreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 23, 1987Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate insists on its amendments, asks for a conference, appoints conferees Boren; Cohen; Bentsen; Nunn; Hollings; Bradley; Cranston; DeConcini; Metzenbaum; Roth; Hatch; Murkowski; Specter; Hecht; Warner; Exon; Thurmond (Senators Exon and Thurmond for matters within the jurisdic…
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1243 with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Intelligence (Select) Committee
- Jun 11, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Intelligence (Select) Committee
- Jun 9, 1987FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · House Agreed to Amendments Adopted by the Committee of the Whole.
- FloorFloor · Rule Passed House.
- Jun 3, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Armed Services Committee
- May 13, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Armed Services Committee
- Apr 23, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee
- Apr 22, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.