CIA Declines to Comment on Possible Revival of Anti-Russian Spy Committee

© AP Photo / Carolyn Kasterhe The CIA seal is seen displayed before President Barack Obama speaks at the CIA Headquarters in Langley, Va., Wednesday, April 13, 2016
he The CIA seal is seen displayed before President Barack Obama speaks at the CIA Headquarters in Langley, Va., Wednesday, April 13, 2016 - Sputnik International
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The CIA refused to comment on possible re-establishment of an anti-Russian spy committee.

Cold War - Sputnik International
US Congress Seeks to Re-Establish Cold-War Era Anti-Russian Spy Committee
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) declined to comment on the possible revival of a Cold War-era group to counter Russian espionage due to the fact intelligence legislation in Congress is still pending, the agency’s spokesperson told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"We have no comments," the spokesperson said.

When asked whether the CIA is not able to comment because the 2017 Intelligence Authorization Bill to revive the committee is still pending, the official said, "yes."

On Monday, a BuzzFeed news outlet report cited a US intelligence community source saying the proposed intelligence bill in Congress calls for a revival of the Cold War-era group to counter Russian spies and Russian-sponsored assassinations in the United States.

The presidentially-appointed committee would investigate the funding of Russian covert broadcasting, media manipulation as well as secret funding, according to the report.

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In a press release last month, US Senator Richard Burr’s press office said that the 2017 Intelligence Authorization Bill requires the US president to establish an interagency committee to counter Russian "active measures."

The 2017 Intelligence Authorization Bill was passed by the US Senate Intelligence Committee in May.

The bill calls on restricting Russian diplomats travel within the United States without official notifications to US authorities, limiting it to a 50-mile perimeter around the Russian embassy, according to media reports. All movement outside that perimeter would have to be investigated by the security services.

The Intelligence Authorization Bill must now be passed by the Senate.

Since 2014, relations between Russia and the United States deteriorated as Washington and its allies introduced several rounds of anti-Russia sanctions over the reunification of Crimea with Russia and allegations of Moscow interfering in the Ukrainian conflict.

Russia has repeatedly refuted such allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive and undermine regional and global stability.

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