The first section of the Act provides its short title, which is the "Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act".

The proposed reforms in this section limit who within the FBI can authorize searches related to U.S. persons, prohibit political appointees from approving these FBI searches, and require audits of these searches by the Department of Justice. The reforms also introduce new training and approval requirements for certain sensitive searches and mandate that Congress be informed about searches involving members of Congress or conducted without consent for defensive briefings.

The section amends rules regarding how the FBI can use information obtained under Section 702, prohibiting them from conducting searches specifically to find evidence of a crime unless the search could help prevent a threat to life or is necessary for legal proceedings. Additionally, it restricts the FBI from using certain unprocessed information in their investigations unless the person is part of an active national security investigation, with exceptions for urgent situations or when assisting other federal agencies.

Congress emphasizes that the U.S. intelligence community is prohibited from targeting U.S. citizens for foreign intelligence collection under section 702, requiring a court order for exceptions. The Department of Justice must conduct annual reviews and audits to ensure compliance and report these to Congress, with agencies certifying they haven't improperly targeted U.S. persons.

The section introduces reforms to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, including requiring the same judge to decide on extensions for surveillance orders targeting Americans when possible. It also mandates the use of expert advisors called amicus curiae to help the court with certain cases and requires appointing attorneys to review applications targeting Americans to ensure there are no flaws.

The document outlines amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, requiring sworn statements for factual claims in applications, prohibiting the use of politically derived and press report information without proper identification and corroboration, and adjusting the timelines and justifications needed for extending surveillance orders, especially concerning U.S. persons and foreign powers.

The section amends part of a law to add a requirement that the declassification review of certain documents must be completed as soon as possible, but no later than 180 days after the review begins.

The section outlines requirements for transcribing hearings and storing related records with their corresponding applications or orders. It also mandates notifying Congress about certain transcripts related to proceedings before intelligence courts, and providing access to declassified documents.

The section requires the Inspector General of the Department of Justice to submit reports to Congress on how well the FBI follows rules for using certain search practices under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. These reports will evaluate the FBI's compliance, improvements made, and suggest ways to be even better, especially concerning searches involving U.S. citizens.

This section mandates that applicants for certain legal permissions must certify that they've informed the Attorney General of any information that might question the accuracy of their applications. It also requires applicants to disclose any information that could prove someone is innocent or contradict the requested legal findings, with these rules applying to applications submitted 120 days after the act becomes law.

The section outlines changes to the reporting requirements for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), mandating that the FBI's Director submits an annual report to specific government committees about their queries involving U.S. persons' data under a particular surveillance program. This report must include count-based details and estimates regarding various types of queries conducted, and it should be made publicly available after a review for declassification.

The section requires the FBI Director to report annually to certain congressional committees about disciplinary actions related to improper use of certain surveillance data. It also mandates that the FBI implement measures to hold its executive leadership accountable for ensuring compliance with certain legal procedures, with regular briefings to Congress on these efforts.

The section of the bill outlines criminal penalties for unauthorized disclosure of information related to electronic surveillance and certain classified information involving U.S. persons. It increases penalties for these offenses, allowing fines or imprisonment up to 10 years for certain offenses, and establishes federal jurisdiction if the offender was a U.S. officer or employee.

A person can be punished under this section if they knowingly share or misuse classified information, especially if it harms the United States or benefits a foreign government. Such actions can result in a fine, a prison sentence of up to 8 years, or both, especially if the person was a government employee at the time.

The text outlines amendments to existing laws to grant the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review (FISC-R) the power to address contempt, similar to U.S. district courts. It also requires annual reporting on how often these courts use their contempt authority, along with a description of each instance.

This section amends penalties for civil violations under section 110, increasing damages to at least $10,000 for U.S. persons or $1,000 for others, depending on the circumstances. It also requires agency heads to report violations to Congress and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which will keep a list of violators.

If a court determines that someone has broken the law in a civil case under section 110, the agency they work for must report to Congress about the actions taken against them. Additionally, the agency must give the person's name to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which will keep a list of such individuals.

The section requires the FBI Director to establish clear rules with consequences for improper searches of U.S. persons' data, with zero tolerance for intentional misconduct and increasing penalties for mistakes. It also mandates reporting these rules to Congress within 90 days and includes annual reports on any disciplinary actions for three years, involving both intelligence and judiciary committees.

The section explains that if a United States Government officer or employee intentionally behaves improperly during proceedings at the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or its Court of Review, they could face severe consequences such as suspension without pay or even losing their job.

The text describes the creation of a commission, called the "FISA Reform Commission," which will review and suggest updates to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The commission will include members from various government departments and Congress, and will have powers to hold hearings and require information from federal agencies, aiming to ensure both effective intelligence operations and the protection of privacy and civil liberties. The commission will submit a final report with its findings and recommendations within five years.

The section extends certain authorities granted by the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 by changing the expiration date from December 31, 2023, to five years after the new Act, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, is enacted. Additionally, five years after the enactment of this Act, section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 will revert to its wording as it was before this new Act was passed.

The section explains that when this Act changes or removes parts of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, it will be automatically understood as an amendment to that Act. Additionally, any changes made by this Act, such as adding, removing, or altering sections, will also update the table of contents of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to reflect these changes.

The Director of National Intelligence, with input from the Attorney General, may send information to certain congressional committees about how law enforcement and intelligence agencies purchase commercially-available data on U.S. citizens.