The 9/11 Commission strongly recommends that the National Intelligence Director be fully in control of the budget, from developing it to implementing it, to ensuring that the National Intelligence Director has the clout to make decisions.

The quote by Leonard Boswell refers to the recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission in response to the failures in intelligence coordination that were exposed following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The Commission suggested that the National Intelligence Director (NID) should have full control over the budget for intelligence agencies. This would give the NID the authority to not only develop and implement the budget but also to ensure that it aligns with national security priorities.

The idea behind this recommendation is to streamline decision-making within the intelligence community by centralizing authority. Giving the NID control over the budget would allow for more effective management and coordination of resources, ensuring that intelligence operations are more efficient and responsive to emerging threats. The clout to make decisions would grant the NID the necessary power to overcome bureaucratic hurdles and ensure that resources are allocated to the most pressing national security needs.

This recommendation emerged from the 9/11 Commission Report, which aimed to address the intelligence failures leading up to the attacks. The commission found that there was a lack of unity and coordination among various intelligence agencies, and centralizing the budget control under a single authority like the NID was seen as a key reform to prevent similar failures in the future.

Ultimately, Boswell’s statement underscores the importance of a unified approach to national intelligence management. By giving the NID the authority to control the budget, the intention was to create a more cohesive, responsive, and accountable intelligence framework, which would be better equipped to prevent future attacks.