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HR 80119th CongressIn Committee

Drain the Intelligence Community Swamp Act of 2025

Introduced: Jan 3, 2025
View on Congress.gov
Standard Summary
Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

Drain the Intelligence Community Swamp Act of 2025 (H.R. 80) would immediately revoke the security clearances of a specific group of former intelligence community officials who signed a public statement dated October 19, 2020 regarding Hunter Biden emails. Within 24 hours of enactment, these individuals would be barred from receiving any new or renewed security clearances. The bill also directs the Secretary of Defense and the Attorney General to investigate these individuals’ roles in the Hunter Biden laptop matter and their level of engagement with the Biden presidential campaign. The list comprises 51 named individuals who are identified as signatories of the 2020 statement. In short, the bill targets a defined set of former IC officials tied to a controversial public statement about Hunter Biden, seeks to strip their security clearances, and assigns federal investigations to assess potential involvement with the Hunter Biden laptop matter and any connections to the Biden campaign.

Key Points

  • 1Immediate revocation and permanent bar: Not later than 24 hours after enactment, the security clearances of all listed individuals are revoked, and none may be granted or renewed for them in the future.
  • 2Specific group targeted: The bill lists 51 named individuals who signed the October 19, 2020 public statement about Hunter Biden emails (the “Public Statement on the Hunter Biden Emails”).
  • 3Mandated investigations: The Secretary of Defense and the Attorney General are required to investigate these individuals’ roles in the Hunter Biden laptop matter and their level of engagement with the Biden presidential campaign.
  • 4Legislative framing: The act is titled the “Drain the Intelligence Community Swamp Act of 2025,” and it operates “for other purposes” beyond revoking clearances (as described in the text).
  • 5House introduction and referral: The bill was introduced in the 119th Congress (H.R. 80) and referred to multiple committees (Oversight and Government Reform, Judiciary, and Armed Services) for consideration.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Former members of the U.S. intelligence community who signed the 2020 statement and who currently hold or would seek security clearances; the change directly affects their eligibility and access to classified information.Secondary group/area affected: U.S. government security-clearance processes and personnel verification, including how future clearances are issued and renewed; potential friction with former IC personnel and related organizations.Additional impacts: The bill initiates federal investigations by the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice into the individuals’ roles in the Hunter Biden laptop matter and any perceived or real influence on or involvement with the Biden campaign; could influence political and public debate around intelligence community disclosures and partisan dynamics; may raise questions about due process and the scope of executive branch authority over former officials’ clearances.
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