Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023

This bill authorizes funding and sets policy for U.S. intelligence agencies for the 2023 fiscal year, focusing on national security and workforce modernization. It strengthens protections against foreign influence by prohibiting former intelligence employees from working for the governments of adversaries like Russia and China, while also establishing stricter cybersecurity standards for sensitive government systems.

For everyday citizens, the bill improves government accountability by enhancing protections for whistleblowers and allowing individuals to sue the government for certain damages related to intelligence activities. Additionally, it updates hiring practices by preventing the government from denying security clearances based solely on past legal cannabis use and creates a formal system for reporting and tracking unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs).