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Foreign policy & defense

intelligence community

The eighteen federal agencies that collect and analyze intelligence, coordinated by the Director of National Intelligence.

In full

It includes the CIA, the NSA, the FBI's intelligence branch, defense agencies, and intelligence units in departments such as State, Treasury, and Energy. The Director of National Intelligence position was created in 2004 to coordinate them. Congressional oversight runs through the House and Senate intelligence committees and, for the most sensitive matters, the Gang of Eight.

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Written from USA.gov, Branches of the U.S. Government

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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.