Joe Lieberman: “of course, we do not intend nor do I think we do in any sense cripple the Secretary of Defense. We make a judgment that…”

“of course, we do not intend nor do I think we do in any sense cripple the Secretary of Defense. We make a judgment that some of these programs are national intelligence programs. They ought to be in the budget control of the national intelligence director. We enumerate which programs--TIARA, the so-called tactical military programs--off the table. That is with the Secretary of Defense. That provides intelligence to single services or some of the joint programs. This is a difference of opinion. It is true that because we want to give some credibility to this national intelligence director with these national assets as he serves the entire community, including, most of all, the President of the United States, we are recommending those budgets of those three agencies go to the national intelligence director. Then the negotiation begins with the Secretary of Defense. That is a change. I assure the Senator there is no intention in any way to contravene or to diminish the capacity of the Secretary of Defense to fulfill his title 10 statutory requirements. He will work it out with the national intelligence director.”