Should Intelligence Agencies Assess the Russian Government’s Strategic Goals? (H.R. 1617)

What is H.R. 1617?

(Updated September 4, 2019)

This bill — the KREMLIN Act — would require the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to submit intelligence assessments about the goals and intentions of Russia’s political leadership to Congress. Assessments would be prepared about Russia’s potential military action against NATO members, potential responses to an enlarged U.S. or NATO military presence in eastern Europe, and potential areas where Russia could exploit divisions among Western governments.

Each assessment could be submitted in classified form, but would have to contain an unclassified executive summary. They would be provided to congressional committees with jurisdiction over the armed services, foreign affairs, and intelligence.

The bill’s full title is the Keeping Russian Entrapments Minimal and Limiting Intelligence Networks (KREMLIN) Act.

Argument in favor

Policymakers need to understand the intentions and motivations behind Russia’s attacks on democratic governments around the world if they’re going to effectively counter them. Intelligence agencies should produce an assessment of those intentions and what Russia’s next moves may be if the U.S. and NATO respond.

Argument opposed

U.S. intelligence agencies have prepared assessments like these in the past and update them periodically, so there’s no need for Congress to specifically request a new assessment. The political intentions of Russia under Putin’s leadership should be clear given the meddling in Western elections along with its territorial grabs in Crimea.

Impact

The U.S. Intelligence Community; Western governments, particularly NATO members; and Russia.

Cost of H.R. 1617

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) introduced this bill to require the Director of National Intelligence to produce an assessment on the political intentions of Russia and its political leadership, especially Vladimir Putin. When he introduced this bill’s predecessor during the last Congress, Krishnamoorthi said:

“The Kremlin’s efforts to sabotage our democracy and those of our allies across Europe are undeniable and in addition to investigating these activities, we must also assess Russia’s broader intentions which drive such attacks on democratic institutions. The KREMLIN Act will meet this strategic need through producing a National Intelligence Estimate to identify the ultimate goals of Putin’s regime, just as other investigations uncover its methods.”

This legislation has the support of one cosponsor, Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT).

Of Note: Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine through a referendum deemed illegitimate by the U.S. and other Western nations in 2014 following a period of civil unrest. In response, the NATO alliance announced a decision in 2016 to increase its forward deployment in Poland, the Baltic republics, and the Black Sea region to deter similar incursions by Russia into nations that were once part of the Soviet Union.

Aside from its effort to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Russia interfered in the 2017 French presidential election, carried out cyberespionage against Germany, and has sought to promote pro-Russia politicians in former Soviet satellite nations Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Estonia, and others.

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) Press Release (115th Congress)

Summary by Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Kremlin / Creative Commons)