DIA Congressional Liaison Officer

Keeping Congress Informed

Clarey, a Congressional Liaison Officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), acts as a bridge between DIA and Capitol Hill to keep Congress in-the-know.

The Intelligence Community (IC) routinely briefs Congressional committees charged with IC oversight and budgetary control as well as other committees with national security portfolios. Congress holds IC agencies accountable for their actions, approves IC budgets, and monitors the legality of IC activities. Given the number of Congressional reporting requirements, many IC agencies have a dedicated Office of Congressional Affairs to keep Congress informed. (Click here to learn more about IC oversight.)

Clarey’s work as a Congressional Liaison Officer for DIA puts him in the thick of the action on Capitol Hill. It’s his job to keep Congress informed while also ensuring his agency is fairly and accurately represented there. To do this, he must not only be up-to-date about his own agency’s activities but must also know the players on Capitol Hill—who they are, what committee they’re on, and which aspects of national security and foreign policy are their priority.

“I can go home and say, ‘job well done’ when I know that the members of Congress, the staffers on Capitol Hill, have received the information that they need.” ―Clarey, Congressional Liaison Officer, Defense Intelligence Agency

Congressional Liaison Officers interface directly with national leaders who make the policies that keep America’s citizens and its military members safe. They develop large networks within their home agency and on Capitol Hill. They need to know whom at their agency to contact when a member of Congress or a Congressional staffer needs additional information. It’s a demanding, fast-paced job with real implications for U.S. citizens and warfighters in the field.

Learn more about this and other jobs at DIA at DIA Careers. To learn more about career opportunities across the IC, click here.