The United States intelligence budget comprises all the funding for the 18 agencies of the United States Intelligence Community. These agencies and other programs fit into one of the intelligence budget's two components, the National Intelligence Program (NIP) and the Military Intelligence Program (MIP). As with other parts of the federal budget, the US intelligence budget runs according to the Fiscal year (FY), not the calendar year. Before government finances are spent on intelligence, the funds must first be authorized and appropriated by committees in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate.
Pursuant to a suggestion by 9/11 Commission, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) released the top line amount given to the NIP for fiscal year 2009 as US$49.8 billion.[1] This amount has been on a gradually rising trend with record budget requests in 2020 and 2022 of US$62.7 billion and US$65.7 billion respectively. This amount excludes the US$20.7 billion requested for the Military Intelligence Program, which has been recovering from a post-Iraq war 2015 low of US$16.5 billion.[2]
In 2007, it was revealed that 70% of the intelligence budget went to defense contracting companies.[3]
- ^ DNI Releases Budget Figure for 2009 National Intelligence Program Archived November 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "DNI Releases Budget Figure for FY 2018 Appropriations Requested for the National Intelligence Program".
- ^ Tim Shorrock (2008). Spies for Hire: The Secret World of Intelligence Outsourcing. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9780743282246.