Senate negotiators on the intelligence reform bill yesterday offered to drop their requirement that the overall intelligence budget be made public if House Republicans accept the Senate plan for a new national intelligence director. Under the Senate approach, the director would assume control of budget and spending authority, now said to total $40 billion, most of which is hidden in the Pentagon budget and is under the control of the defense secretary. Senate conferees say they now are willing to keep the spending secret but insist that control of the funds be shifted from the Pentagon to the intelligence director.Full Story