Senate panel may vote on intelligence nominee before recess

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Thursday that she had a good meeting with James Clapper, whom President Obama picked to be director of national intelligence, and that it is possible her committee will vote on his nomination by the July 4th recess.

But Feinstein emphasized she does not plan to act on Clapper's nomination until work is finished on the fiscal 2010 intelligence authorization bill. According to other lawmakers and key aides, the bill is being held up by the office of House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Clapper, a retired Air Force lieutenant general who now serves as undersecretary of Defense for intelligence, is in the midst of a rocky confirmation process. Feinstein and Senate Intelligence Committee ranking member Kit Bond, R-Mo., balked after learning that Clapper approved a letter in April criticizing portions of their intelligence authorization bill.

The letter, which was not signed by Clapper but came out of his office, stated that 17 provisions in the bill are "inappropriate" and would "infringe upon" the statutory responsibilities of the secretary of Defense.

Feinstein met with Clapper Wednesday to question him on his views about the role of the director of national intelligence and whether he would try to weaken the position in the face of Pentagon opposition.

"I thought the meeting went very well," she told reporters Thursday, adding that she was "pleasantly surprised" by his comments.

"If I analyze Clapper correctly, I think he is a very loyal person to the entity he serves," she said.

But Feinstein said she still needed to vet Clapper more.

When asked if Clapper assuaged her concerns that he would not be beholden to the Pentagon, Feinstein replied: "They used to say to me, 'You can take the girl out of the city but you can't take the city out of the girl.' You can say the same thing about the Pentagon."

Some lawmakers and aides expressed concerns about Clapper's nomination before existence of the letter was disclosed, saying he has not been forthcoming with Congress.

"He assured me he would be communicative [and] be responsive," Feinstein said. "That's the kind of relationship we have to have."

Pressure is now building for Pelosi to advance the intelligence authorization bill. Bond already has said he will not meet with Clapper until work on the bill is done.

And Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag sent Feinstein and other key lawmakers a letter late Thursday stating that the Obama administration supports the bill. Administration officials previously threatened to veto the bill over certain provisions.

But the letter said two controversial provisions have been eliminated, one that would give Government Accountability Office the authority to audit intelligence agencies and another that would require Senate confirmation for the heads of certain intelligence agencies.

Two other provisions in the bill also have been changed to the administration's liking, one that governs congressional notification of covert intelligence operations and another requiring public disclosure of the intelligence budget.