Which act established the framework for the Intelligence Community?

The National Security Act of 1947 is instrumental in establishing the framework for the Intelligence Community (IC) in the United States. This pivotal legislation created the National Security Council and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which were key components in organizing and directing intelligence activities. The act represented a significant reorganization of the U.S. military and intelligence agencies following World War II and was aimed at addressing the complexities of the Cold War, heralding a new era for national defense and intelligence operations.

The creation of these organizations under this act was essential for ensuring that intelligence efforts were coordinated across different branches of the government, thus facilitating a more unified approach to national security challenges. By embedding these functions within formal governmental structures, the act laid the foundational legal and organizational groundwork that continues to shape the IC today.

While other acts like Executive Order 12333 provide important guidelines for the operation of the Intelligence Community and the Homeland Security Act focuses on domestic security measures, they did not establish the foundational elements of the IC as comprehensively as the National Security Act of 1947. The Intelligence Reform Act introduced reforms but was not the primary act establishing the intelligence framework.