Congress discloses intel earmarks for first time

[babylonsister]

Congress discloses intel earmarks for first time
By Roxana Tiron | Posted 11/24/07 02:33 p.m.
November 24, 2007


In a break with tradition, Congress has revealed close to $80 million in earmarks boosting spy technology and training as part of the 2008 defense appropriations bill.

Both the aggregate intelligence budget and intelligence-related earmarks were secret until this year. President Bush signed into law in August a bill that enacted many of the Sept. 11 commission’s recommendations, including a provision declassifying the intelligence budget total. In October, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said that the fiscal 2007 budget for spy agencies, excluding military intelligence, came to $43.5 billion.

Much of the intelligence budget is channeled through the defense-spending bill because most of the intelligence agencies are in the Defense Department.

All of the disclosed earmarked funding for the intelligence slice of the defense-spending bill will go to businesses and universities linked to the requesting lawmakers’ districts and states, many of them in Alabama, Ohio and California.

A good portion of the congressional earmarks this year focuses on spy satellite imagery and analysis as well as advanced technology.

more...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/congress-discloses-intel-earmarks-for-first-time-2007-11-24.html

[stellanoir]

1. Accountability would seem to be a thing of the distant past.

It's nutz.

K & R'd.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. BUT THEY STILL HAVEN'T FOUND OSAMA BIN LADIN!

sorry to shout!

[SpiralHawk]

3. "Frankly, he's just not that important to me." - Commander AWOL

"Besides, I am on intimate terms with his whole family, so I don't want to spoil a good (smirk) thing."

- Commander AWOL