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| Wilson: House Passes Intelligence Bill |
June 21, 2005 |
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Intelligence Authorization Bill Strengthens R & D, Human Intelligence
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson, Chair of the Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence, today welcomed House passage of the FY06 Intelligence Authorization Act (H.R. 2475) by a 409-16 vote.
“The Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence has spent a substantial amount of time making sure we understand what is working well and what is not,” Wilson said. “We have reviewed programs in detail to identify gaps and overlaps.”
“This bill makes several important changes in direction in our intelligence programs,” Wilson said. “We asked tough questions about cost, schedule, performance and risk for some very expensive programs. When large programs get off track, they can drain funds from other priorities. We will not give contractors a blank check to cover cost, schedule and performance problems they have failed to manage.”
The legislation is the first intelligence authorization bill to establish priorities for the intelligence community within the management of the DNI. The DNI was created as a cabinet-level position last year in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.
The Intelligence Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2006:
Strengthens human intelligence
Increases the investment in analysis
Expands the hiring and training of linguists
Modernizes signals intelligence capabilities
Authorizes funds for imagery intelligence
Provides additional resources for measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT)
Invests in critical research and development initiatives to acquire technical systems and address threats.
“We have insisted that intelligence systems include plans up front to task sensors, process the bits and bites, and disseminate the information to people who need it. Without this support a new sensor is not an intelligence method; it’s a science experiment,” Wilson said.
The bill also strengthens research and development for intelligence. “Both pathfinding and incremental research and development in the intelligence community is underfunded and poorly coordinated. We will seek to change that by increasing funding, and by giving specific authority to the Director of National Intelligence to identify our most difficult intelligence problems that can be addressed by the use of technology.”
“Winning the war on terror depends on two things: the courage of our men and women in the military, and exceptional intelligence. We have much more to do and I look forward to continuing our efforts.”
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