Total Information Awareness Programs: Funding, Composition, and Oversight Issues

Publication Date: March 2003

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Government

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Abstract:

Late last year controversy erupted about a Department of Defense (DOD) R&D effort called Total Information Awareness (TIA) under an office headed by retired Admiral John D. Poindexter within the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). By integrating various new tools designed to detect, anticipate, train for, and provide warnings about potential terrorist attacks, DARPA hopes to develop a prototype Total Information Awareness system. This system would integrate a number of ongoing R&D efforts, referred to in this paper as Total Information Awareness programs. While concern has centered primarily on privacy issues, accounts of the program's funding have also differed. This report covers the funding, composition, oversight, and technical feasibility of TIA programs. The privacy implications are addressed in CRS Report RL31730, Privacy: Total Information Awareness Programs and Related Information Access, Collection, and Protection Laws, by Gina Marie Stevens.

In a press interview, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Edward C. "Pete" Aldridge, stated that the Total Information Awareness project is funded at $10 million in FY2003 and $20 million in FY2004. Other reports indicated higher funding levels of over $100 million in FY2003 and over $200 million for the three-year period, FY2001 - FY2003.

Different accounts of funding levels reflect the fact that DARPA is funding both an integrative effort called the TIA system, as well as 16 individual R&D efforts or TIA programs that could be combined to create that system. In FY2003, DARPA is dedicating $10 million to integrate various R&D efforts into a prototype TIA system, and $137.5 million for the various R&D programs that could make up that system and that are managed by the Information Awareness Office (IAO) headed by Poindexter. Funding for these programs total $137.5 million in FY2003 and $317.0 million for FY2001-FY2003. DOD is requesting $169.2 million for TIA programs in FY2004 and $170.3 in FY2005, and $20 million in FY2004 and $24.5 million in FY2005 for the TIA system integration. These TIA programs are ongoing.

In response to concerns about TIA programs, Congress included special oversight provisions known as the Wyden amendment in the FY2003 Consolidated Appropriations Resolution (P.L. 108-7) requiring that the Secretary of Defense, the Director of Central Intelligence and the Attorney General submit a detailed joint report on TIA programs within ninety days or face a cutoff in funding. Senator Feingold, Senator Grassley and other Members also proposed restrictions on data mining in the DOD and the new Department of Homeland Security.

In light of the report required by P.L. 108-7, hearings on TIA programs are likely in the 108th Congress. In addition to privacy concerns, Congress may also address several oversight issues for TIA programs including monitoring collaboration between DARPA and potential users in the law enforcement and intelligence communities and assessing the technical feasibility of the project. This report will be updated as necessary.