FAS

The Status of the DCI Following Intel Reform

01.31.06 | 1 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

The intelligence reform legislation of 2004 abolished the position of Director of Central Intelligence, transferring many of its functions to the new Director of National Intelligence.

This raised a technical legal question as to whether the DCI who was serving at the time, Porter J. Goss, would need to be formally reappointed to the position of Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (DCIA).

The question was analyzed at length by the Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) in a January 2005 memo that has just been released.

To cut to the chase, the OLC concluded “that when the Intelligence Reform Act takes effect the then-current DCI would not require a new appointment to serve as DCIA.”

See “Status of the Director of Central Intelligence Under the National Security Intelligence Reform Act of 2004,” Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel, January 12, 2005 (published January 23, 2006).

publications
See all publications
Government Capacity
Policy Memo
Report
Four Innovations Driving Climate Progress in State Government

Cities and states are best positioned to design policies to accelerate clean energy, innovation, and economic development because they can design approaches that work in different social, political, and economic contexts. 

04.22.26 | 18 min read
read more
Government Capacity
day one project
Policy Memo
Outcome-Based Contracting Reorients Government IT Acquisition Around Public Value and Mission Results

Outcome-Based Contracting reframes procurement around the staged achievement of measurable mission outcomes rather than the delivery of predefined technical artifacts.

04.21.26 | 16 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Building Human Infrastructure to Mitigate AI Fairness Harms in K-12 Education

The real opportunity of AI lies not just in the tools, but in an educator workforce prepared to wield them. When done right, this investment in human infrastructure ensures AI accelerates learning outcomes for all students, closing the “digital design divide.”

04.20.26 | 5 min read
read more
Clean Energy
Blog
Beyond Cap and Trade: What’s Next for Carbon Markets?

If carbon markets are going to play a meaningful role — whether as engines of transition finance, as instruments of accurate pricing across heterogeneous climate interventions, or both — they need the infrastructure and standards that any serious market requires.

04.16.26 | 9 min read
read more