For starters, lawmakers want to give the Government Accountability Office, which investigates most but not all federal offices, the authority to probe intelligence agencies. Currently, only the inspectors general of each intelligence shop can investigate these operations.

 

Second, many people on Capitol Hill have talked about the need to reopen the FBI investigation of the anthrax attacks of 2001. Some lawmakers and scientists question the bureau’s pursuit of government scientist Bruce Ivins, who killed himself upon learning of the FBI’s plans to indict him for the attacks. The White House strongly objects to any attempt to revisit the Ivins matter.

 

Finally, Obama opposes a move by Congress to do away with the so-called Gang of Eight system, under which the White House notifies only the speaker and minority leader of the House, the majority and minority leaders of the Senate, and the chairmen and ranking minority members of the Senate and House intelligence committees on sensitive spy operations. Lawmakers instead want to give each intelligence committee the power to write their own rules for how the White House must inform lawmakers about secret work.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Protecting Agencies from Oversight, Obama Threatens to Veto Intelligence Funding (by Stephen Webster, Raw Story)

House Votes to Revise Intelligence Disclosure Rules for President (by Walter Pincus, Washington Post)