WH to GOP: Don't Cut Intel Funds

The Hill reports:

The White House on Wednesday did not issue a veto threat but warned the House not to cut intelligence funding.

The White House on Wednesday stopped short of a veto threat but warned the House against cutting intelligence funding.

The House on Thursday is set to begin work on H.R. 754, which would specify intelligence spending levels for the rest of fiscal 2011 and reduce the budget authority of intelligence agencies by $47 million. Most of that cut would come in the current fiscal year, although it would have the effect of reducing spending over the next few fiscal years.

In a statement of administration policy, the White House warned that cutting funding and personnel from various intelligence agencies would put critical intelligence-gathering and analysis at risk, and called on members to maintain current funding levels.

The White House did not threaten to veto the bill, and instead said it "looks forward to working with the Congress" to address these issues.