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The post of National Intelligence Director was created in the wake of the September 11th attacks to be in charge of 12-plus intelligence agencies. The director will be in charge of hiring and firing the top-ranking officials of the Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Homeland Security Department, and the Defense Department. President Bush signed the Intelligence Reformation Act into law in 2004.
The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) is the title of United States cabinet-level post that will split the post of Director of Central Intelligence into two separate positions: the DNI, which would coordinate all segments of the Intelligence Community and be the principal intelligence adviser to the president; and a Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (DCIA) to serve as head of the CIA. Creating this post was one of the recommendations in the report by the House-Senate Intelligence Committee investigating the September 11 attacks.
In December 2004, the House of Representatives and the Senate passed the National Intelligence Reform Act by votes of 336-75 and 89-2. The bill creates the post of DNI, establishes a counterterrorism center, and will try to ease communication between different branches and agencies of the government. President Bush is expected to sign the bill within a week.
There is however critism that the final compromise bill that was passed weakens the post of DNI to one of a figurehead and takes away little of the Pentagon's control over it's intelligence. [1] (http://slate.msn.com/id/2110767/)
President Bush's Choice for Director of National Intelligence
President Bush's first choice for Director of National Intelligence was former CIA director, Robert M. Gates, Ph.D. Gates, who currently serves as President of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, decided not to take the position after long contemplation, he said that he enjoys working at Texas A&M.
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