Bill Overview
Title: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023
Description: This bill authorizes for FY2023 various intelligence-related activities and addresses related issues. For example, the bill (1) prohibits certain former intelligence community employees and contractors from providing services relating to national security, intelligence, the military, or internal security to the governments of Russia, China, or a state sponsor of terrorism; (2) requires the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to establish minimum cybersecurity requirements for national security systems operated by the intelligence community; and (3) prohibits intelligence community elements from denying an individual access to classified information based solely on that individual's preemployment use of cannabis.
Sponsors: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Target Audience
Population: People working in or with the U.S. intelligence community and associated sectors worldwide
Estimated Size: 100000
- The bill impacts individuals working in or with the intelligence community, as all authorized activities pertain to them.
- Prohibition on providing services to certain foreign governments directly affects those who might consider employment opportunities abroad, primarily former intelligence community employees or contractors.
- Implementation of cybersecurity requirements impacts current employees and systems within the intelligence community, likely requiring adjustments in procedures and possibly affecting daily operations.
- The cannabis-related employment clause affects potential and current employees and how they are judged based on their preemployment actions.
Reasoning
- The policy affects a specific segment of the U.S. population, namely those involved in the intelligence community who may be considering overseas work or impacted by changes in hiring requirements.
- The prohibition on providing services to certain foreign governments affects former intelligence employees who might see their potential job market shrink, causing additional stress or uncertainty about future employment.
- New cybersecurity requirements could require current employees within the intelligence community to undergo additional training or deal with changes in their workflow, affecting their job satisfaction and stress levels.
- Changes regarding cannabis use may reduce perceived discrimination among applicants and current employees, possibly improving morale and reducing stress about past behavior impacting their careers.
- The policy's impact will be highly individualized, with the greatest effects felt by those directly interacting with these new regulations, while others may experience negligible changes.
Simulated Interviews
Cybersecurity Specialist (Virginia)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm really not bothered by the prohibition on working with foreign governments, as it's not something I would consider due to my current commitments here.
- The cybersecurity upgrades are necessary, and I'm looking forward to the challenge, although it might add some workload initially.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Former Intelligence Officer (Maryland)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The prohibition on working with certain foreign governments is a bit disappointing; it limits my employment options now that I'm retired.
- I understand the need for such measures, but it does make planning the next phase of my career more complex.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 9 |
Applicant for Intelligence Agency (California)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm really relieved about the change regarding cannabis. It makes me feel like I have a fair chance at a position without my past use being a disadvantage.
- I can focus on presenting my skills in cybersecurity without worrying about this affecting my application.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Private cybersecurity consultant, former contractor (Texas)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support the policy to enhance cybersecurity standards; it's crucial given current threats.
- The restriction against working with certain governments aligns with national security goals, though it marginally impacts my international opportunities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Software Developer (Colorado)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I'm not directly affected by most of this policy, the cannabis rule change is good. It indicates a shift towards more reasonable employment standards.
- I'm glad this won't impact my chances if I ever wanted to apply for a position in that field.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Intelligence Analyst (Washington D.C.)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm largely unaffected by the new rules. The prohibition on service to foreign governments aligns with my career goals focused on domestic roles.
- Cybersecurity rules will require some adjustments, but these upgrades are welcome as they ensure better protection for our work.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Retired Intelligence Community Employee (New York)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The prohibition on working with certain countries slightly affects my plans for consultancy work abroad.
- I think the cybersecurity focus is important, though less relevant to my current situation. The cannabis rule is a positive change overall. It shows more progressive perspectives in hiring.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
IT Specialist (Georgia)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy doesn't change anything significant for me, although the cybersecurity improvements are something our team will delve into soon.
- Given my role doesn't directly involve decisions about foreign partnerships, the main impact is procedural changes we may need to adopt.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Contractor for Intelligence Community (Florida)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I welcome the focus on improving cybersecurity as it's part of my job to conduct these audits.
- The restrictions on foreign work don't apply to me personally but make sense for security reasons.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Manager in an Intelligence Agency (Illinois)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- These restrictions limit my post-retirement plans a bit, but I always expected some level of these kinds of regulations.
- I'm ready to adapt to the new cybersecurity requirements, which aligns with our ongoing protocols. The cannabis clause is progressive and might help recruitment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The increased cybersecurity responsibilities may require additional funding and could impact the budget of the intelligence community.
- Monitoring former employees requires implementing new systems or processes, which are initially costly but provide long-term benefits in protecting national security interests.
- Addressing cannabis preemployment usage may reduce potential hiring disincentives, thus expanding the talent pool for intelligence agencies.
- Long-term cost reductions might result from minimized security threats due to improved cybersecurity standards.