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The Administration appreciates the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence's
continued support of the Intelligence Community as it faces new challenges. For
example, the committee bill includes a number of provisions, such as Section 502
relating to protection of National Reconnaissance Office operational files,
which are helpful to the ongoing work of the national security agencies. While
the Administration supports much of H.R. 4628, the Administration has not had
the opportunity to review the classified schedule of authorizations.
Consequently, the Administration presents a preliminary set of concerns below
and looks forward to working with the Congress to address its concerns as the
legislative process continues.
The Administration continues to support the joint inquiry by the congressional
intelligence committees on the evolution of the international terrorist threat
to the United States, the response of the U.S. Government to that threat, and
matters relating to the events of September 11, 2001. These committees are the
proper forum for conducting such a review, which involves access to extremely
sensitive information under the special safeguards that apply to these
committees under Senate and House rules. Therefore, the Administration would
oppose an amendment that would create a new commission to conduct a similar
review. Such an amendment is duplicative and would cause a further diversion of
essential personnel from their duties fighting the war. The Administration will
continue to work with the Congressional intelligence committees in their efforts
to fully examine the events leading up the September 11th.
The Administration opposes an amendment that may be offered which reduces the
Administration's flexibility to pursue reform of the Palestinian security
service, which is critical to creation of secure conditions for both Israelis
and Palestinians.
The Administration strongly opposes Section 402, which prohibits the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA) from implementing compensation reform plans. The
Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) must have the maximum flexibility in
managing the CIA workforce to ensure that the Agency can quickly adapt to
changing mission demands and personnel needs. CIA's reform proposal is fully
consistent with the President's Management Agenda, which aims to pay employees
in a way that recognizes their contribution to mission and rewards top
performers. At a time when it is needed most, Section 402 would curtail the
statutory authority and flexibility that the DCI has had since 1949 with regard
to CIA employee compensation
The Administration urges the Congress to authorize an indefinite extension of
the current Diplomatic Telecommunications Service Program Office (DTS-PO)
agreement, in lieu of the one-year extension proposed in Section 306. An
indefinite extension would allow DTS-PO to remain focused on its mission while
preserving the partners flexibility to withdraw if needed.
The Administration strongly opposes Section 310 and objects to the continued
growth of reporting requirements, such as those contained in Section 304. The
volume of reports continues to place a heavy burden on agencies fighting the war
on terrorism and the punitive nature of Section 310 would require that
resources be diverted from the most important national security activities to
the preparation of reports. Section 304 is unnecessary and duplicative given
the reporting requirements under Title V of the National Security Act of 1947.
While the Administration recognizes the importance of keeping the Intelligence
Committees fully and currently informed of the intelligence activities of the
U.S. Government, the proliferation of numerous reporting requirements continues
to place unreasonable burdens on the Intelligence Community.
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