Aerospace Daily November 18, 2002
House and Senate approve compromise intelligence bill
By Marc Selinger
Congress approved a fiscal 2003 intelligence authorization bill Nov. 15 that would set up a commission to review whether the nation's intelligence agencies could use their research and development funds more effectively.
The bill, unveiled by a House-Senate conference committee Nov. 15, calls for the 12-member commission to consist of government officials and congressional appointees. If President Bush signs the legislation into law, Democratic and Republican co-chairs would lead the commission, which would have to submit a report to the congressional intelligence committees, the director of central intelligence and the defense secretary by Sept. 1, 2003.
Lawmakers have suggested that the intelligence agencies do not coordinate their R&D programs as much as they should, possibly resulting in duplication and fragmentation. They also have questioned whether intelligence agencies are spending enough of their R&D funds in emerging intelligence fields, such as measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT).
The original Senate bill contained the commission provision but the House bill did not.
John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, which analyzes defense and intelligence issues, said the commission may be designed to pave the way for a new organization that would centrally manage at least some R&D programs across the intelligence community.
The bill, which covers the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, was held up by a dispute over a commission that would investigate the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Lawmakers reached a deal on that commission Nov. 14, paving the way for the conference committee to finish the legislation. The House and Senate approved the bill Nov. 15.
© Copyright 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
