WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today approved the Fiscal Year 2015 Intelligence Authorization Act with an amendment authored by U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) that would require the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to issue a report to Congress on the Intelligence Community’s efforts to reduce administrative costs.

“At every turn, the government should be striving to ensure that it is wisely and effectively spending taxpayer dollars. Although by necessity the Intelligence Community’s budget is mostly classified, it is critical that Congress closely reviews how taxpayer dollars are being allocated and spent,” Senator King said. “My amendment would give the DNI a mandate to make certain that the Intelligence Community is minimizing unnecessary costs and efficiently focusing resources on the fight to protect America’s national security.”

Senator King’s amendment would require the DNI to submit to the Congressional Intelligence Committees a report with a description of the status and effectiveness of efforts to:

• Devise alternatives to government travel and promote efficient travel spending, such as teleconferencing and video conferencing
• Limit costs related to hosting and attending conferences
• Assess information technology inventories and usage, and establish controls, to reduce costs related to underutilized information technology equipment, software, or services
• Improve the performance of Federal fleet motor vehicles and limit executive transportation
• Limit the purchase of extraneous promotions items, such as plaques, clothing, and commemorative items, and;
• Consolidate and streamline workforce training programs to focus on the highest priority workforce and mission needs

###