From FOXNews: “Bush to Announce Anti-Terror Agency“:

President Bush will address the nation Thursday night to unveil a major homeland security program, including the creation of a new anti-terrorism intelligence agency.

Bush will propose creation of a Cabinet homeland security office that will draw from eight current agencies in what spokesman Ari Fleischer said is the biggest government restructuring since the Truman administration.

[…] Fleischer said the new agency will oversee border and transportation security; emergency preparation and response; chemical, biological and nuclear countermeasures; the analysis of intelligence from the FBI, CIA and other agencies.

Fleischer said the FBI and CIA will remain as independent agencies, not seeing major changes under the proposal. Congress will have to pass legislation to implement the plan. Sources said Bush will ask for its passage by year’s end.

[…] The announcement of what some officials are calling Bush’s ‘massive’ reorganization of federal intelligence agencies comes as Congress gears up its investigation into potential security lapses prior to Sept. 11. FBI Director Robert Mueller was testifying Thursday about the agency’s failure to anticipate the terror attacks.

The new agency will supplement efforts of the FBI, the CIA and other intelligence agencies, not replace them.

With 100 executive-branch entities and 88 congressional committees and subcommittees now sharing jurisdiction over homeland security, coordination has become unmanageable, a top White House official said.

This source described one scene illustrating the problem: When Bush summoned relevant committee chairmen and ranking members to the White House last October, they had to be divided into two groups for separate meetings that still filled the Cabinet Room beyond capacity.

Christ, and there are people out there who want to turn healthcare over to the bureaucrats?

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