"[2] Due to this requirement, attempts have been made to revise the Act in order to make the agency's budget spending available to the American public.

Government officials have assumed that because the amount of money would be unexplainable without including a total report on CIA actions, the public would continue to ask for more information.

[4] Congress has also suggested that patterns could be made with the analysis of yearly reports, which would allow anyone with access to discover details of secret operations within the agency.

[7] Following Richard Nixon's resignation, Congress reacted by passing a number of bills to strengthen their authority regarding domestic and foreign operations within the CIA.

[8] While expanding the power of Congress, the Act also supported the Hughes–Ryan Amendment which prevented the President from denying his involvement in secret operations, in this case, those of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Congress is also the main decision maker regarding covert actions and can reject the funding of operations supported by the CIA, such as their attempt to overthrow the Nicaraguan government in 1982.