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

The section outlines new rules for how the FBI can conduct searches on data related to U.S. persons. It includes needing prior approval, especially for sensitive targets like politicians or religious figures, bars political appointees from the approval process, requires regular audits, and mandates Congress be notified of certain searches involving members of Congress or their briefings.

The section limits the FBI's ability to search information gathered under section 702 by stopping them from looking for evidence of crimes unrelated to national security and outlining when exceptions are allowed. Furthermore, it restricts the FBI from adding certain information to its databases unless connected to an active national security investigation, with exceptions made for urgent situations or when helping other agencies.

Congress emphasizes that section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act prohibits targeting U.S. persons without a specific court order, and mandates yearly reviews and audits by the Department of Justice to ensure compliance with these rules, requiring certifications to Congress that targeting decisions do not aim at known 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 bill amends several sections of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to strengthen requirements for applications, including mandates for sworn statements, prohibitions on using politically sourced or press-derived information without clear identification and corroboration, and providing detailed justifications in specific cases involving U.S. persons. It also modifies how long certain surveillance orders can last against non-U.S. persons, extending them from 120 days to one year.

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 requires applicants for certain surveillance applications to certify that they have provided the Attorney General all information that might question the accuracy or fairness of their application and mandates the disclosure of any potentially exculpatory information. The changes apply to applications made 120 days after the enactment of the Act, and procedures ensuring the accuracy of applications targeting U.S. persons must be established within 180 days.

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 outlines changes to the penalties under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). It specifies that people who knowingly and willfully share unauthorized or classified information regarding electronic surveillance or certain communications involving U.S. persons can face increased fines and imprisonment terms up to 10 years. It also mentions a sentencing enhancement for making false statements in proceedings related to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

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 section outlines changes to the contempt powers of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) and its review court (FISC-R) by allowing them to be treated like any other United States district court for contempt-related crimes. It also requires annual reporting on how often these courts use their authority and includes details 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 discusses amendments to the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, changing key dates to "five years after the enactment of the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act," and explaining that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act will revert to its prior state five years after the date of this new Act's enactment.

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 section requires that, despite existing orders or permissions under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence must obtain new orders and authorizations within 90 days of the enactment of this Act, following the updated rules of the same law.