Intelligence Community Feels Cuts

The Intelligence Community will have deeply reduced budgets for 2013. But it won't have to cut staff. The House and Senate approved a $72 billion intelligence bill, down from $80 billion in 2012. The new bill is slightly more than the White House had requested. Lawmakers added in money for counterterrorism work against al-Qaida and for counterintelligence against foreign governments trying to spy on the United States. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said the bill holds the line on personnel and even adds a few select positions. The final bill left out restrictions on who can brief reporters on intelligence operations.