House Republicans adopt White House ideas on intelligence director

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON -- House Republicans plan to follow President Bush's lead and reject the Sept. 11 commission's recommendation to strip the Pentagon of control over its spy shops in favor of a new national intelligence director with hiring, firing and spending control.

The White House gave Congress legislative language Thursday that detailed its ideas about a national intelligence director. The House's majority Republicans will use the administration version as their starting point, said Stuart Roy, spokesman for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas.

"The administration's viewpoint will be the driving force ... in the House bill," Roy said Friday. "It may not be 100 percent the way they sent it, but it will certainly move in that direction."

Senate leaders want a stronger intelligence director.

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