---
kind: "section"
citation: "50 U.S.C. § 3094"
title: "50"
title_heading: "War and National Defense"
number: "3094"
heading: "Funding of intelligence activities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/50/3094"
units:
  - "Chapter 44 — National Security"
  - "Subchapter III — Accountability for Intelligence Activities"
---

# §3094. Funding of intelligence activities

- (a) **Obligations and expenditures for intelligence or intelligence-related activity; prerequisites—** Appropriated funds available to an [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) agency may be obligated or expended for an [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) or [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1)-related activity only if—
  - (1) those funds were specifically authorized by Congress for use for such [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) or [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1)-related activities; or
  - (2) in the case of funds from the Reserve for Contingencies of the Central [Intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) Agency and consistent with the provisions of [section 3093 of this title](/usc/50/3093.md) concerning any significant anticipated [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) activity, the Director of the Central [Intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) Agency has notified the [appropriate congressional committees](/usc/50/3352.md?p=1) of the intent to make such funds available for such activity; or
  - (3) in the case of funds specifically authorized by the Congress for a different activity—
    - (A) the activity to be funded is a higher priority [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) or [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1)-related activity;
    - (B) the use of such funds for such activity supports an emergent need, improves program effectiveness, or increases efficiency; and
    - (C) the Director of [National Intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=5), the Secretary of Defense, or the Attorney General, as appropriate, has notified the [appropriate congressional committees](/usc/50/3352.md?p=1) of the intent to make such funds available for such activity;
  - (4) nothing in this subsection prohibits obligation or expenditure of funds available to an [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) agency in accordance with sections 1535 and 1536 of title 31.
- (b) **Activities denied funding by Congress—** Funds available to an [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) agency may not be made available for any [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) or [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1)-related activity for which funds were denied by the Congress.
- (c) **Presidential finding required for expenditure of funds on covert action—** No funds appropriated for, or otherwise available to, any department, agency, or entity of the United States Government may be expended, or may be directed to be expended, for any covert action, as defined in [section 3093(e) of this title](/usc/50/3093.md?p=e), unless and until a Presidential finding required by subsection (a) of [section 3093 of this title](/usc/50/3093.md) has been signed or otherwise issued in accordance with that subsection.
- (d) **Report to congressional committees required for expenditure of nonappropriated funds for intelligence activity—**
  - (1) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, funds available to an [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) agency that are not appropriated funds may be obligated or expended for an [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) or [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1)-related activity only if those funds are used for activities reported to the [appropriate congressional committees](/usc/50/3352.md?p=1) pursuant to procedures which identify—
    - (A) the types of activities for which nonappropriated funds may be expended; and
    - (B) the circumstances under which an activity must be reported as a significant anticipated [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) activity before such funds can be expended.
  - (2) Procedures for purposes of [paragraph (1)](#d-1) shall be jointly agreed upon by the [congressional intelligence committees](/usc/50/3003.md?p=7) and, as appropriate, the Director of [National Intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=5) or the Secretary of Defense.
- (e) **Definitions—** As used in this section—
  - (1) the term “[intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) agency” means any department, agency, or other entity of the United States involved in [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) or [intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1)-related activities;
  - (2) the term “[appropriate congressional committees](/usc/50/3352.md?p=1)” means the Permanent Select Committee on [Intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Select Committee on [Intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=1) and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
  - (3) the term “specifically authorized by the Congress” means that—
    - (A) the activity and the amount of funds proposed to be used for that activity were identified in a formal budget request to the Congress, but funds shall be deemed to be specifically authorized for that activity only to the extent that the Congress both authorized the funds to be appropriated for that activity and appropriated the funds for that activity; or
    - (B) although the funds were not formally requested, the Congress both specifically authorized the appropriation of the funds for the activity and appropriated the funds for the activity.

## Source credit

(July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title V, § 504, formerly § 502, as added Pub. L. 99–169, title IV, § 401(a), Dec. 4, 1985, 99 Stat. 1004; renumbered § 504 and amended Pub. L. 102–88, title VI, §§ 602(a)(1), (c)(1), 603, Aug. 14, 1991, 105 Stat. 441, 444; Pub. L. 107–306, title III, § 353(b)(3)(D), Nov. 27, 2002, 116 Stat. 2402; Pub. L. 108–458, title I, § 1071(a)(1)(Z), (AA), (5), Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3689, 3690; Pub. L. 111–259, title III, § 362, Oct. 7, 2010, 124 Stat. 2701; Pub. L. 116–92, div. E, title LXVII, § 6742(b)(13), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2240; Pub. L. 117–103, div. X, title V, § 503, Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 986.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 414 of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section. Some section numbers of this title referenced in amendment notes below reflect the classification of such sections prior to their editorial reclassification.

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 117–103 amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: “those funds were specifically authorized by the Congress for use for such activities; or”.

2019—Subsec. (a)(3)(B). Pub. L. 116–92 realigned margin.

2010—Subsec. (a)(3)(B). Pub. L. 111–259 amended subpar. (B) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (B) read as follows: “the need for funds for such activity is based on unforseen requirements; and”.

2004—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 108–458, § 1071(a)(5), substituted “Director of the Central Intelligence Agency” for “Director of Central Intelligence”.

Subsec. (a)(3)(C). Pub. L. 108–458, § 1071(a)(1)(Z), substituted “Director of National Intelligence” for “Director of Central Intelligence”.

Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 108–458, § 1071(a)(1)(AA), substituted “Director of National Intelligence” for “Director of Central Intelligence”.

2002—Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 107–306 substituted “congressional intelligence committees” for “intelligence committees”.

1991—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 102–88, § 602(c)(1), substituted “section 413b” for “section 413”.

Subsecs. (c) to (e). Pub. L. 102–88, § 603, added subsecs. (c) and (d) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (e).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2004 Amendment

For Determination by President that amendment by Pub. L. 108–458 take effect on Apr. 21, 2005, see Memorandum of President of the United States, Apr. 21, 2005, 70 F.R. 23925, set out as a note under section 3001 of this title.

Amendment by Pub. L. 108–458 effective not later than six months after Dec. 17, 2004, except as otherwise expressly provided, see section 1097(a) of Pub. L. 108–458, set out in an Effective Date of 2004 Amendment; Transition Provisions note under section 3001 of this title.

### Sense of Congress Regarding Disclosure of Annual Intelligence Budget

Pub. L. 102–496, title III, § 303, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3183, provided that: “It is the sense of Congress that, beginning in 1993, and in each year thereafter, the aggregate amount requested and authorized for, and spent on, intelligence and intelligence-related activities should be disclosed to the public in an appropriate manner.” Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation act: Pub. L. 102–183, title VII, § 701, Dec. 4, 1991, 105 Stat. 1270.

### Enhanced Security Countermeasures Capabilities; Application of Section

Pub. L. 99–169, title IV, § 401(c), Dec. 4, 1985, 99 Stat. 1006, provided that the amendment made by section 401(a) of Pub. L. 99–169, enacting this section, would not apply with respect to funds appropriated to the Director of Central Intelligence under the heading “enhanced security countermeasures capabilities” in the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1985, Pub. L. 99–88, Aug. 15, 1985, 99 Stat. 311.