CYBERWAR/NATIONAL SECURITY/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump would be required to notify U.S. lawmakers before creating a joint U.S.-Russia cyber security unit – an idea that has drawn criticism across the political spectrum – under legislation advancing in Congress.
The proposal, if it became law, would be the latest in a series of maneuvers by Congress that either limit the president’s authority on Russia matters or rebuke his desire to warm relations with Moscow.
A provision contained within the annual Intelligence Authorization Act and passed by the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee 14-1 would require the Trump administration to provide Congress with a report describing what intelligence would be shared with Russia, any counterintelligence concerns and how those concerns would be addressed.
The bill, which grants congressional approval for clandestine operations carried out by the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies, passed the Senate Intelligence Committee in July, but its text was only recently made public because it involves sensitive intelligence operations.
Trump last month said on Twitter that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had discussed establishing ‘an impenetrable Cyber Security unit’ to address issues like the risk of cyber meddling in elections.”
-Dustin Volz, “No U.S.-Russia cyber unit without Trump notifying Congress, bill says,” Reuters, Aug. 22, 2017 06:24pm