Lawmakers are advancing the SECURE Act (Strategy for Executive-led Counterintelligence and Unified Reform) to transition U.S. counterintelligence from a reactive, law-enforcement-centric model to a proactive and unified offensive posture. Introduced by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford, the bill is a central component of the FY2026 Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA). [1, 2, 3, 4] Key Objectives of the SECURE Act The legislation aims to address critical vulnerabilities that experts warn could lead to a “9/11-scale intelligence failure” if left unaddressed. [1] Offensive Mandate: Redefines the legal definition of counterintellig

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Lawmakers are advancing the SECURE Act (Strategy for Executive-led Counterintelligence and Unified Reform) to transition U.S. counterintelligence from a reactive, law-enforcement-centric model to a proactive and unified offensive posture. Introduced by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford, the bill is a central component of the FY2026 Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA). [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key Objectives of the SECURE Act
The legislation aims to address critical vulnerabilities that experts warn could lead to a “9/11-scale intelligence failure” if left unaddressed. [1]

Offensive Mandate: Redefines the legal definition of counterintelligence from merely “protecting” to a mandate to “deter, disrupt, investigate, and exploit” foreign intelligence operations.
Unified Leadership: Empowers a newly created Director of Counterintelligence with the authority to direct and compel cooperation between various services, moving beyond simple coordination to close exploitable “seams” in the system.
Strategic Targeting: Specifically reorients resources toward countering “great power adversaries” (such as Russia and China) by using deception and other tools to neutralize state-sponsored networks.
Congressional Transparency: Requires the FBI to notify Congress when initiating counterintelligence investigations into federal officeholders or candidates. [2, 3, 4, 5]

Current Legislative Status

House Progress: The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence passed the FY2026 IAA, including the SECURE Act provisions, in September 2025.
Broader Reform Context: This effort coincides with intense debates over the April 2026 expiration of FISA Section 702, with some lawmakers pushing for stricter warrant requirements alongside these structural counterintelligence reforms. [3, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Would you like to see how these new counterintelligence powers might interact with the upcoming FISA Section 702 reauthorization?

[1]  intelligence.house.gov
[2]  intelligence.house.gov
[3]  intelligence.house.gov
[4]  intelligence.house.gov
[5]  thehill.com
[6]  brennancenter.org
[7]  intelligence.house.gov
[8]  biggs.house.gov
[9]  justsecurity.org

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Apr 5, 2026