Panels Seek to Curb Negroponte

The House Intelligence and Armed Services committees each took steps this week that reflected continued congressional concern that the Pentagon’s influence over U.S. spying operations could be eroded by the nation’s new intelligence director.

Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee endorsed legislation to curb newly installed National Intelligence Director John D. Negroponte’s ability to transfer personnel from one spy agency to another. The measure was passed over opposition from Democrats on the committee and from the White House.

At the same time, the House Armed Services Committee asked the Pentagon to provide the panel with a “comprehensive inventory” of Defense Department intelligence programs.

In making the request, which was attached to the Defense authorization bill, the committee cited the need for “greater visibility” into certain military intelligence activities, and a concern that some programs might be “potentially duplicative.”

But a senior Democratic aide to the panel said the measure was also designed to help the committee track any changes in military intelligence programs ordered by Negroponte’s office.

“If the [intelligence director] is going to propose certain actions, you need to be able to gauge the impact of those,” the aide said. “And you can’t do that without a baseline of the programs.”

The Pentagon controls roughly 80% of the overall intelligence budget, which is estimated at about $40 billion annually, although the figures are classified. Concern that the military would lose influence over intelligence spending led key Republicans -- including Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon), chairman of the Armed Services Committee -- to resist the establishment of an intelligence director last year.

The intelligence legislation that ultimately cleared Congress included a number of provisions that were designed to temper those concerns.

But the actions by the Armed Services and Intelligence panels underscore the extent to which Republicans remain wary of Negroponte’s authority.

The measure endorsed by the intelligence panel, which is led by Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.), would create hurdles for Negroponte to shift employees to new intelligence enterprises, which might not be run by the Defense Department.

Negroponte’s office objected to the measure, saying it was “concerned with any legislation that undercuts the letter and spirit of the intelligence reform bill passed only a few months ago.”

Under existing law, Negroponte has the authority to transfer up to 100 employees from existing agencies to newly created intelligence centers, such as one being established to follow weapons proliferation issues. Negroponte is required to “consult” with Congress before doing so.

But the plan passed by the House Intelligence Committee would go further, requiring the intelligence chief to provide key congressional committees with a detailed rationale and to receive a response from them before going forward.

The measure passed the intelligence committee on a party-line vote. Committee aides to Hoekstra did not respond to a request for comment.