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The Gang of Eight is a group of eight members of the US Congress who must be notified of all intelligence activities undertaken by the President and executive branch of government. This group is an alternative to briefing the entire Congressional Intelligence Committee, while complying with all national security laws. The National Security Act of 1947 requires the President to inform the Congressional Intelligence Committees of all intelligence or espionage operations, but allows the President to brief only eight specific members of Congress in extreme circumstances. The members of the Gang of Eight can change at each election, but this group is always made up of individuals who hold the same eight positions. By informing the Gang of Eight of intelligence activities, the President is able to meet legal reporting requirements while still enjoying great power over espionage and intelligence gathering. The National Security Act does not define exactly which situations are considered extreme enough to warrant reporting only to the Gang of Eight.
Gang of Eight is a nickname used to refer to a group of eight members of the United States (USA) Congress. It comprises four members of the Senate and four members of the House of Representatives. According to the National Security Act of 1947, these eight people are the minimum number of people who must be notified of all intelligence activities undertaken by the president of the United States and the executive branch of government. Warning the Gang of Eight serves as an alternative to briefing the entire Congressional Intelligence Committee, while complying with all national security laws.
Before 1947, the US president had great power in terms of starting intelligence programs or spying on people both domestically and abroad. To prevent abuses of power and preserve privacy rights, Congress passed the National Security Act of 1947. Under this act, the president must inform the Congressional Intelligence Committees of all intelligence or espionage operations. However, the law makes an exception for extreme circumstances and allows the president to brief only eight specific members of Congress rather than the entire committee. In situations where secrecy is of the utmost importance, the President may choose to educate only the Gang of Eight, who are not permitted to share this information with anyone else.
The members of the Gang of Eight can change at each election, but this group is always made up of individuals who hold the same eight positions. They include majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate, as well as committee leaders and ranking members of both House and Senate intelligence committees. This ensures that the group is made up of members of both major political parties, as well as members of both houses of the legislative branch.
By informing the Gang of Eight of intelligence activities, the President is able to meet legal reporting requirements while still enjoying great power over espionage and intelligence gathering. With fewer people briefed on covert operations, the president is able to conduct intelligence work more effectively, with a reduced risk of leaks or interference. Informing only a small group also helps streamline operations and allow certain processes to run more efficiently.
The National Security Act does not define exactly which situations are considered extreme enough to warrant reporting only to the Gang of Eight. This has led to a great deal of debate about the abuse of power and privacy concerns. Debate on this topic has increased dramatically in the US since September 11, 2001, when terrorists struck several major US targets and many lives were lost. Reports of the use of torture during interrogations and other questionable techniques have led many to argue that more oversight is needed and that informing the Gang of Eight is not enough.
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