Central Intelligence Agency

CIA Headquarters, by Carol M. Highsmith.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is responsible for 'intelligence collection, analysis, and covert action to advance U.S. national security'. (ref 1). From 1947 the Director of Central Intelligence was responsible for leading both the CIA and the US intelligence community as a whole. In 2004, the latter role moved outside the CIA to the Director of National Intelligence (ref 5).