---
kind: "section"
citation: "50 U.S.C. § 3235a"
title: "50"
title_heading: "War and National Defense"
number: "3235a"
heading: "Notice and damage assessment with respect to significant unauthorized disclosure or compromise of classified national intelligence"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/50/3235a"
units:
  - "Chapter 44 — National Security"
  - "Subchapter IX — Additional Miscellaneous Provisions"
---

# §3235a. Notice and damage assessment with respect to significant unauthorized disclosure or compromise of classified national intelligence

- (a) **Notification and damage assessment requirements—**
  - (1) **Requirements—** If the Director of [National Intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=5) becomes aware of an actual or potential significant unauthorized disclosure or compromise of classified [national intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=5)—
    - (A) as soon as practicable, but not later than 7 days after the date on which the Director becomes so aware, the Director shall notify the [congressional intelligence committees](/usc/50/3003.md?p=7) of such actual or potential disclosure or compromise; and
    - (B) in the case of an actual disclosure or compromise, not later than 7 days after the date on which the Director becomes so aware, the Director or the head of any element of the [intelligence community](/usc/50/3003.md?p=4) from which the significant unauthorized disclosure or compromise originated shall initiate a damage assessment consistent with the procedures set forth in [Intelligence Community](/usc/50/3003.md?p=4) Directive 732 (relating to the conduct of damage assessments), or successor directive, with respect to such disclosure or compromise.
  - (2) **Contents of notification—** A notification submitted to the [congressional intelligence committees](/usc/50/3003.md?p=7) under [paragraph (1)(A)](#a-1-A) with respect to an actual or potential significant unauthorized disclosure or compromise of classified [national intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=5) shall include—
    - (A) a summary of the facts and circumstances of such disclosure or compromise;
    - (B) a summary of the contents of the [national intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=5) revealed or potentially revealed, as the case may be, by such disclosure or compromise;
    - (C) an initial appraisal of the level of actual or potential damage, as the case may be, to the national security of the United States as a result of such disclosure or compromise; and
    - (D) in the case of an actual disclosure or compromise, which elements of the [intelligence community](/usc/50/3003.md?p=4) will be involved in the damage assessment conducted with respect to such disclosure or compromise pursuant to [paragraph (1)(B)](#a-1-B).
- (b) **Damage assessment reporting requirements—**
  - (1) **Recurring reporting requirement—** Not later than 30 days after the date of the initiation of a damage assessment pursuant to [subsection (a)(1)(B)](#a-1-B), and every 90 days thereafter until the completion of the damage assessment or upon the request of the [congressional intelligence committees](/usc/50/3003.md?p=7), the Director of [National Intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=5) shall—
    - (A) submit to the [congressional intelligence committees](/usc/50/3003.md?p=7) copies of any documents or materials disclosed as a result of the significant unauthorized disclosure or compromise of the classified [national intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=5) that is the subject of the damage assessment; and
    - (B) provide to the [congressional intelligence committees](/usc/50/3003.md?p=7) a briefing on such documents and materials and a status of the damage assessment.
  - (2) **Final damage assessment—** As soon as practicable after completing a damage assessment pursuant to [subsection (a)(1)(B)](#a-1-B), the Director of [National Intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=5) shall submit the final damage assessment to the [congressional intelligence committees](/usc/50/3003.md?p=7).
- (c) **Notification of referral to Department of Justice—** If a referral is made to the Department of Justice from any element of the [intelligence community](/usc/50/3003.md?p=4) regarding a significant unauthorized disclosure or compromise of classified [national intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=5) under this section, the Director of [National Intelligence](/usc/50/3003.md?p=5) shall notify the [congressional intelligence committees](/usc/50/3003.md?p=7) of the referral on the date such referral is made.

## Source credit

(July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title XI, § 1105A, as added Pub. L. 118–31, div. G, title III, § 7315, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 1031.)