Intel bill passage possible before session ends

House Intelligence Chairman Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., said Wednesday it was "within the realm of possibility" that an intelligence overhaul bill could pass before the lame duck session ends.

But, the Michigan Republican added, "today is possibly the critical day" for the House-Senate conference committee to reach a compromise. Hoekstra spoke to reporters at the National Press Club before he and other House and Senate conferees resumed negotiations behind closed doors.

Conferees expect their talks to continue this afternoon. Although some lawmakers believe conferees have more time because the work on an FY05 omnibus appropriations bill has been slower than expected, Hoekstra said they did not dare risk that Congress would be in session next week.

Hoekstra said he and the three other conference leaders -- Senate Governmental Affairs Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, ranking member Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., and House Intelligence ranking member Jane Harman, D-Calif. -- "genuinely want to do a bill."

But Hoekstra also acknowledged that some disputes remain, including the immigration and law enforcement issues. "We are a day or two away from having a deal or admitting that we'll have to wait until next year," he said.

Confereees have been under pressure from several groups, starting with the House and Senate, which have sharply different views on the powers to be given to the national intelligence director.

Pentagon officials and leaders of the two Armed Services committees also have been fighting to prevent the NID from assuming authority over the major portion of the intelligence budget now under Defense Department control. "I think we're going to have a relatively strong national intelligence director," Hoekstra said. He may have more power than the House wanted, but less than the Senate, he added. A House GOP aide said the top negotiators are completing a deal on the NID's authority and have moved to other House provisions not in the Senate bill.