Bill to Name CIA Building for Bush Gains

CIA headquarters would be named after former President Bush, the only agency alumnus to go on to the nation’s highest office, under legislation the House approved Wednesday.

The House-Senate compromise 1999 intelligence authorization bill also would increase spending modestly on U.S. intelligence worldwide and allow federal law enforcement agencies to get court orders to shift wiretaps as suspects move from one phone to another. It also contains money for covert operations against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, whom Bush opposed in the Persian Gulf War.

In a 337-83 vote, the House approved the legislation, which includes a provision to name the Langley, Va., headquarters of the CIA the “George Bush Center for Intelligence.” Bush was CIA director under President Ford, serving from Jan. 30, 1976, until Ford left office Jan. 20, 1977.

The compromise measure awaits a final vote in the Senate, and the White House has indicated that President Clinton will sign it.

Precisely how much the government spends on intelligence is classified, but the bill is believed to provide slightly more than this year’s level of $26.7 billion.

Meanwhile, the House rejected a giant national parks bill, 302 to 123, as opponents said Republican leaders tried to push through anti-environmental measures by combining them with dozens of noncontroversial provisions.

Even if successful, it had little chance of passing the Senate and faced a presidential veto.