(a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The Director of National Intelligence set a strategic goal to use joint facilities as a means to save costs by consolidating administrative and support functions across multiple elements of the intelligence community. (2) The use of joint facilities provides more opportunities for operational collaboration and information sharing among elements of the intelligence community. (b) Certification Before an element of the intelligence community purchases, leases, or constructs a new facility that is 20,000 square feet or larger, the head of that element of the intelligence community shall submit to the Director of National Intelligence— (1) a written certification that, to the best of the knowledge of the head of such element, all prospective joint facilities in the vicinity have been considered and the element is unable to identify a joint facility that meets the operational requirements of such element; and (2) a written statement listing the reasons for not participating in the prospective joint facilities considered by the element. ( Pub. L. 115–31, div. N, title VI, § 604 , May 5, 2017 , 131 Stat. 830 .) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries Definitions For definition of “intelligence community”, referred to in text, see section 2 of div. N of Pub. L. 115–31 , set out as a note under section 3003 of this title .