Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026

This bill funds U.S. intelligence work and makes several changes aimed at security, transparency, and accountability. It sets up a five-year pilot where vetted cybersecurity researchers can test voting machines and related software, report problems, and give vendors up to 180 days to fix serious issues; if a patch for a certified system isn’t reviewed in 90 days, it counts as certified so fixes can roll out faster . Intelligence contractors are banned from collecting or selling location data from phones, wearables, and other connected devices at intelligence facilities, and must certify they follow this rule within 60 days of the law taking effect . The bill orders quick reviews and public releases (with necessary redactions) of intelligence on “anomalous health incidents” and on COVID‑19 research and information‑sharing issues in China, with most declassification work due within about six months . It also renames the National Counterterrorism Center to include a counternarcotics mission, expanding focus on drug threats, effective about a month after enactment .

To guard against foreign influence, the bill blocks certain intelligence funds from going to think tanks and research centers that take money or support from foreign governments (with exceptions for close allies), and to groups tied to the governments of China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, or Cuba . The FBI must send Congress an annual, unclassified report with counts of key case types (like counterintelligence, terrorism, and cyber), improving visibility into its work . It also bars the use of intelligence funds for any practice that discriminates in a way already illegal under the Constitution or federal civil rights law .

Key points

• Who is affected:

  • Election system vendors, vetted security researchers, and state/local election officials (new voting tech testing program) .
  • Intelligence community contractors and subcontractors (new limits on location data collection/sale) .
  • The public and media (more declassified information on health incidents and COVID‑19) .
  • Think tanks and research groups with foreign government support (new funding limits) .
  • Communities affected by drugs (expanded counternarcotics focus at the national center) .
  • FBI watchers and oversight groups (new annual case data to Congress) .

• What changes and when:

  • Five-year election system security testing pilot; vendors have 180 days to fix serious issues; 90-day fast-track for certifying patches .
  • Location data rule applies once enacted, with contractor compliance certifications due within 60 days .
  • Declassification reviews on health incidents start within 90 days; public release due within 180 days; COVID‑19 intelligence declassification due within 180 days .
  • National Counterterrorism Center’s new counternarcotics role takes effect 30 days after enactment .
  • Annual FBI case data report starts within 30 days of enactment and continues yearly .
  • Funding limits for certain foreign‑backed entities take effect as the bill’s appropriations are used .