How to File a Whistleblower Complaint

Summary of Procedures for Reporting Urgent Concerns Pursuant to the ICWPA

A.    An IC employee, assignee, detailee, or contractor, who intends to report to Congress a complaint or information with respect to an urgent
       concern, may report such complaint or information to the Intelligence Community Inspector General by calling 703-482-1300 or by
       sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

B.    Not later than the end of the 14-calendar day period beginning on the date of receipt from an employee of a complaint or information under
       subparagraph (A), the IC IG shall determine whether the complaint or information appears credible. If the IC IG determines that the complaint or
       information appears credible, then the IC IG shall, before the end of such period, transmit the complaint or information to the Director of
       National Intelligence. The IC IG may also forward comments on the complaint or information to the DNI.

C.    Upon receipt of a transmittal from the IC IG under subparagraph (B), the DNI shall, within 7 calendar days of such receipt, forward such
        transmittal to the congressional intelligence committees, together with any comments the DNI considers appropriate.

i. If the IC IG does not transmit, or does not transmit in accurate form, the complaint or information described in subparagraph (B), the
  employee may submit, in accordance with subparagraph (ii), the complaint or information to Congress by contacting either or both of the   
  congressional intelligence committees directly.

ii. The employee may contact the congressional intelligence committees directly as described in clause (i) only if the employee –

 a. before making such a contact, furnishes to the DNI, through the IC IG, a statement of the employee's complaint or information and
     notice of the employee's intent to  contact the congressional intelligence committees directly; and

b. obtains and follows from the DNI, through the IC IG, direction on how to contact the congressional intelligence committees in
    accordance with necessary and appropriate security procedures.

iii. The ICWPA provides that a member or employee of one of the congressional intelligence committees who receives a complaint or
     information under clause (i) does so in that member's or employee's official capacity as a member or employee of that committee.

D.    The IC IG shall notify an employee who reports a complaint or information to the IC IG under these procedures of each action taken under
       these procedures with respect to the complaint or information. Such notice shall be provided not later than 3 days after any such action is
       taken.

E.    An action taken by the DNI or the IC IG under this paragraph shall not be subject to judicial review.

F.    In this summary:

i. The term "urgent concern" means any of the following:

a. A serious or flagrant problem, abuse, violation of law or Executive Order, or deficiency relating to the funding, administration, or
   operations of an intelligence activity involving classified information, but does not include differences of opinions concerning public
   policy matters.

b. A false statement to Congress, or a willful withholding from Congress, on an issue of material fact relating to the funding,
    administration, or operation of an intelligence activity.

c. An action, including a personnel action described in section 2302(a)(2)(A) of title 5, United States Code, constituting reprisal or threat
    of reprisal prohibited under subsection (e)(3)(B) in response to an employee's reporting an urgent concern in accordance with this
    paragraph.

ii. The term 'congressional intelligence committees' means the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the United States House of
    Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the United States Senate.