Transparency! Obama threatens to veto new congressional oversight of spy agencies

Three sections of the bill are of “serious concern to the intelligence community,” OMB Director Peter Orszag wrote to Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Vice Chairman Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.), House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-Calif.) and ranking member Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.). The three sections are “so serious that the president’s senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill if they are included.”

At the top of the list are Senate provisions that expand congressional notification requirements when the intelligence community changes to covert actions. Current law requires the president to notify the Gang of 8 — the top eight lawmakers on the two congressional intelligence committees — when the most dramatic actions are taken. The new funding bill would require the president to notify the eight when an administration makes any changes to covert action policy, and it would require intelligence officials to notify every intelligence committee member of the “main features” of all intelligence activities.