‘Legislators have embraced the commission’s call for a national intelligence director and national counterterrorism center that would, in theory, coordinate intelligence efforts in the executive branch. But they have ignored or gutted the commission’s proposal for similar reforms in the way Congress oversees intelligence.

“Of all our recommendations, strengthening congressional oversight may be among the most difficult and important,” the commissioners stressed in their final report. They urged that Congress give its intelligence committees control over both authorizations and appropriations — so that the committees would finally have the muscle to provide real oversight.’ — David Ignatius (Washington Post op-ed)