WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (AFP) - A massive intelligence reform bill designed to adjust the US intelligence community to the post-September 11 world hit a snag Saturday after key congressional ally of the Pentagon expressed concerned about the measure.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert pulled the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 off the floor minutes before a scheduled vote, citing concerns expressed about the legislation by Duncan Hunter, the powerful chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
"Duncan was concerned that the proposed reform could endanger our troops in the field, who use real-time intelligence to fight the war in Iraq and Afghanistan," Hastert told reporters.
"We need to clarify it, we need to work on it, we will continue to do that."
The sudden reversal followed an announcement by House-Senate negotiators announced a sweeping deal on the legislation that calls for creation of a national intelligence director with sweeping budgetary powers.
Under the accord, the director would be responsible for directing, overseeing, managing all 15 agencies making up the US intelligence community and would operate separately from the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
But the agreement also meant a reduction of the clout wielded by the secretary of defense, who currently controls up to 80 percent of the intelligence budget.
11/20/2004 21:56 GMT - AFP