This post was authored by Timothy Little, a Research Intern for The American Strategy Program

One important, but often overlooked, area that is in need of reform is in the appropriations process for America’s intelligence agencies. In 2006, 9/11 Commission Chairman Thomas Kean said, “The person who controls your budget is the person you listen to,” noting that shifting budget authority to the intelligence committees is “extremely crucial.”

The 9/11 Commission characterized Congressional oversight of intelligence and counterterrorism as “dysfunctional.” In response the Senate overwhelming approved Resolution 445 to create a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Intelligence. The problem is this resolution was approved in 2004. To date, no such subcommittee exists.

In 2006, Congressional Democrats campaigned on the platform that if they won the majority in Congress they would enact ALL of the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations. On September 11, 2008, Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO) introduced Resolution 655, co-sponsored by Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman John Rockefeller (D-WV) and Intelligence Committee Member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to create a such a subcommittee and enact a key recommendation of the commission.

However, this proposal is already facing opposition from the Senate Appropriations Committee as Committee Chairman Robert Byrd (D-WV) and ranking member Thad Cochran (R-MS) sent a letter to Harry Reid (D-NV) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in April opposing formation of this subcommittee. Unfortunately, the current committee with oversight is being negligent of its responsibilities.

In 2006, Kean said that Armed Services Committee member Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) told the 9/11 Commission that if his panel spends 10 minutes considering the intelligence budget, it has been a good year. The lack of time spent on this by members of the subcommittee is appalling. Good intelligence is one of our most vital resources in the Global War on Terror. Ensuring that funds are used effectively and that resources get to where they need to go is vital to national security.

Earlier this year the LA Times reported the CIA wasted hundreds of millions of dollars setting up “black stations” in Europe to snag terrorists. The CIA noted these outfits were ill-conceived and poorly positioned. Blunders like these could be avoided with proper oversight.

When it comes to appropriations there is always a power struggle between whose responsibility it should be to decide where the money goes. Having seats on appropriations committees are of immense value to members of congress and the more money you have oversight of, the more power you have. However, there is little power to be had from the intelligence budget. Due to its complexity and secrecy there is little pork for congressional districts.

In order to reform the intelligence community effectively, Congress needs to make sure that the committee members who know what is going on can effectively oversee this budget. Currently, only three members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence serve on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee: Feinstein (D-CA), Mikulski (D-MD), and Bond (R-MO).

There is some possibility that this resolution will see the Senate floor, but even if it passes, there is no requirement that the Senate will implement it, as clearly seen by the resolution calling for this very committee 4 years ago. Intelligence is one of our nation’s greatest assets in the War on Terror. However, Congress has continually failed to reform itself to allow proper oversight of the intelligence community. If Congress fails to reform, our national security is at stake.