Intelligence chief wants to rebuild Hill relations

Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair on Wednesday said he is trying to build a new and better relationship with Congress. But he also raised issues that could trigger criticism on Capitol Hill, such as the size of his command and possible changes in federal contracting procedures.

Blair told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce he takes seriously the intelligence community's obligation to notify Congress quickly and fully of significant intelligence activities.

As evidence of this commitment, the DNI director cited CIA Director Leon Panetta's decision last month to inform the Senate and House Intelligence panels that they had been kept in the dark since 2001 about a covert program to assassinate terrorists.

"I think what's really important is that we are working with Congress in a new and what I think is a better way," Blair said. "If there's any doubt in our mind, our default is, let's tell the Congress about this. They're our partner in this."

After Blair and Panetta took the initiative to notify Congress, the House Intelligence Committee launched an investigation into the CIA's covert program. Blair did not comment on the investigation.

In his remarks, Blair also defended the size of his command, which Congress has criticized as too large a bureaucracy. He added, however, that he had not decided how many contractors were needed to support DNI operations.

"On the area of contractor support, I don't think there is a right number," he said, adding that there is "a strong place" for contractors in specialized functions, such as information technology and administrative support.

Blair said there are "two categories of workers" -- those who play an operational role, such as personnel at the National Counterterrorism Center -- and those employed in the DNI's command.

"I think we're roughly right but need some adjustment," he said, adding that he was trying to make personnel adjustments "with a scalpel" and not "a meat axe."

On other issues, Blair said the intelligence community needs to develop a better relationship with the business community. Blair said intelligence agencies cannot rely simply on traditional contracting processes that require time-consuming requests for proposals.

Blair also said the U.S. government does not yet know who was behind the July 4 cyber attacks.

The attacks were relatively unsophisticated, he said, adding he does not believe the United States is at risk of a major cyber attack similar to those carried out recently in Estonia and Georgia.