Joe Lieberman: “I thank Senator Warner for the initiative and for the reasoning that we have done. We have come up with a result that is…”

“I thank Senator Warner for the initiative and for the reasoning that we have done. We have come up with a result that is a wise and solid balance. We are creating a new position--national intelligence director--but we want that position to work particularly closely with the Secretary of Defense. This compromise says that on the critical national intelligence agencies-- NSA, NGA, and NRO--that are now in the Defense Department, whereas the initiative to head that department was previously in the national intelligence director, we are giving it back to the Secretary of Defense but asking for concurrence from the national intelligence director before it goes to the President.”