The Hill News

The House approved an intelligence authorization bill on Wednesday night in a 244-181 vote.

The measure â€" the first of its kind to pass Congress in nearly six years â€" establishes new oversight rules for the spy community and creates a framework to provide the Government Accountability Office (GAO) will access to intelligence information.

The Senate passed a new version of the bill on Monday night by voice vote after Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) came to an agreement with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) about its provisions. 

Pelosi praised the Senate's action in a statement on Tuesday.

“In passing the Intelligence Authorization Act last night, the Senate upheld our first responsibility â€" to ensure the security of the American people â€" while addressing two key objectives. It expands and improves the congressional notification process for covert action and provides the framework! for GAO access to intelligence community information so that the GAO can conduct investigations, audits and evaluations as requested by Congress."

The bill will also declassify intelligence program budget requests, amend agencies' acquisition processes, and create the position of inspector general for the intelligence community.

One amendment will allow the continuation of "limited notification," a process that fully briefs the House and Senate leaders and the heads and ranking members of the intelligence committees on extremely sensitive covert operations. In these cases, the bill will also require that all members of the House and Senate intelligence committees receive a "general description" of the actions described to leaders.

Senior advisers will recommen! d that the president sign the bill in its current form! , accord ing to a counselor with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.