Intel Spending (Updated)

The total amount of money appropriated by Congress for non-defense intelligence programs in fiscal year 2010 was $53.1 billion, according to a statement released this morning by the office of the director of national intelligence. That figure is $3.3 billion higher than what was appropriated in FY-09.

Don't even think about asking DNI for any additional information on the intel budget, though:

Any and all subsidiary information concerning the NIP budget, whether the information concerns particular intelligence agencies or particular intelligence programs, will not be disclosed. Beyond the disclosure of the NIP top-line figure, there will be no other disclosures of currently classified NIP budget information because such disclosures could harm national security. The only exceptions to the foregoing are for unclassified appropriations, primarily for the Community Management Account.

UPDATE: The Pentagon's FY-10 intel spending was $27 billion, according to a DOD statement.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) vowed in a statement released today that she would cut waste and duplication from the intelligence budget in the next session of Congress.

"The intelligence budget has doubled since 2001, with huge growth in personnel, facilities, and operations costs," Feinstein said. "Given the nation's financial situation, it is my view that the intelligence budget needs to be carefully reviewed and that cuts will be necessary.

"As chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I intend to identify and remove any waste and unnecessary duplication in the intelligence budget and to reduce funding for lower-priority activities. It is clear that the overall spending on intelligence has blossomed to an unacceptable level in the past decade," she continued.

In related news, Inside the Pentagon reports this morning that the Defense Department is requiring defense agencies, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the combatant commands to file yearly reports on their efforts to mine information from foreign newspapers and other media, according to new guidance signed by the acting under secretary of defense for intelligence:

DOD instruction No. 3115.12, which went into effect Aug. 24, lays out a series of individual status reports to be filed by the National Security Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the COCOMs and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The instruction also establishes the Defense Open Source Council as the "primary governance mechanism" for DOD's open-source intelligence. The council, which is chaired by a senior executive picked by the Defense Intelligence Agency, must also submit a status report to the under secretary of defense for intelligence, or USD(I), by Feb. 28 of each year.

This council's report will assess DOD's open-source intelligence programs and activities, and lay out issues that are hindering the programs' effectiveness and integration into DOD-wide or national programs. These annual reports will also prioritize recommendations concerning policy changes and other initiatives needed for improvement.