For Immediate Release
August 4, 2004

Global Message

President Bush called Tuesday for the establishment of a National Intelligence Director and a National Counterterrorism Center

The National Intelligence Director, or NID, will serve as President Bush's principal intelligence advisor and the head of the Intelligence Community. The NID's authorities and responsibilities will enhance the ability of our intelligence community to give President Bush and his advisers an integrated intelligence product on threats to our national security and to improve the warning function of intelligence.

The National Counterterrorism Center, or NCTC, will be responsible for analyzing and integrating foreign and domestic intelligence acquired from all U.S. government departments and agencies pertaining to terrorism.

President Bush will order all relevant agencies to take additional steps to adopt common databases and procedures, so intelligence and homeland security information can be shared and searched effectively, consistent with the protection of the rights of Americans.

President Bush will direct the FBI to continue its restructuring to create a specialized workforce dedicated to the collection and analysis of domestic intelligence on terrorism, and will hold the Department of Justice and FBI leadership to specific performance standards and deadlines to ensure that the FBI's efforts are carried to completion as quickly as possible.

President Bush agrees with the 9/11 Commission about the need to restructure congressional oversight of intelligence matters.

Given the growing threat of weapons proliferation around the world, President Bush believes it may be necessary to create a center similar to the NCTC to bring together the intelligence analysis, planning, and operations to track and prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.