United States Senator Dianne Feinstein



	Joint Intelligence Committee Report includes Recommendation To Create a Director of National Intelligence - Position Proposed in Feinstein Legislation introduced last June - December 11, 2002 printer version Washington, DC - The draft report approved by the House-Senate Intelligence Committee investigating the September 11^th attacks includes a recommendation - similar to legislation sponsored in June by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) - to create the position of a Director of National Intelligence, whose full-time job it is to oversee the Nation's intelligence community. "I am very pleased to see that the joint intelligence committee has recommended that Congress approve the creation of the position of a Director of National Intelligence (DNI), whose full-time job it would be to set priorities and to give direction to the 14 various intelligence agencies in our government," Senator Feinstein said. "Under the current structure, the intelligence community is fragmented, there is a lack of coordination between agencies, and there is no effective leadership. Given the stakes of the war on terrorism, this structure is inadequate. "In my view, there needs to be one person, whose full time job it is to set priorities, move personnel, and devise a strategy to address the threats to the United States. I proposed legislation to this effect in June, and I will reintroduce the legislation early in the next Congress, updated to reflect the findings of the Joint Inquiry. It is my hope that Congress will authorize the creation of the DNI, and that the director will be strong and able to exert forceful direction over the various intelligence agencies." Senator Feinstein introduced the "Intelligence Community Leadership Act of 2002" (S. 2645) on June 19, 2002. The legislation would separate the current position of Director of Central Intelligence (currently held by one individual, who both runs the CIA and the intelligence community as a whole) into two positions: a Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to lead the all segments of the Intelligence Community and a Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (DCIA) to serve as head of the CIA. A complete summary of that legislation is available upon request or accessible at http://feinstein.senate.gov/Releases02/intel.htm ###