Intel law

House passes policy bill for intelligence agencies

The House easily passed legislation on Tuesday to authorize intelligence agency activities for the next year with provisions to prevent officials from manipulating reports on combating terrorism.

The annual policy bill, which passed 371-35, with one lawmaker voting "present," outlines directives across the 16 U.S. federal intelligence agencies.

The measure was drafted in the wake of allegations that officials within the Pentagon’s Central Command had manipulated analysis to present an overly rosy view of the U.S.’s fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which threatens to develop into a major controversy for the Obama administration. 

As a result of those concerns, Tuesday’s bill aims to prevent meddling with intelligence reports, and makes it easier for whistleblowers to bring their concerns to Capitol Hill.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) warned that more needs to be done to combat the terrorist group.