Senate approves intelligence bill

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The Senate yesterday overwhelmingly passed legislation creating a new national intelligence framework, ending debate over how to transform the nation's spy network to prevent terrorist attacks and sending the bill to President Bush for his signature.

Although voting to end weeks of wrangling over the Bush-backed bill, several senators -- including some of the 89 who voted for it -- voiced reservations about it.

Sen. Robert C. Byrd, West Virginia Democrat, said the bill failed to address some House Republicans' concerns about immigration.

"I am for intelligence reform and many things in this bill, but we cannot expect reforms without closing these gaps in illegal immigration," Mr. Byrd said. He and Sen. James M. Inhofe, Oklahoma Republican, cast the only votes against the bill.

The bill would create the post of a national intelligence director. Speculation yesterday about who might fill the post included the names of CIA Director Porter J. Goss; Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, director of the National Security Agency; September 11 commission Chairman Thomas H. Kean; and several members of Congress, including Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut.

The bill, long tied up by disagreements between the House and Senate, substantially incorporates the recommendations of the commission that investigated the 2001 terrorist hijackings that killed about 3,000 people.

Supporters said the overhaul of U.S. intelligence agencies was long overdue.

"We are rebuilding a structure that was designed for a different enemy at a different time, a structure that was designed for the Cold War and has not proved agile enough to deal with the threats of the 21st century," said Sen. Susan Collins, Maine Republican and key sponsor of the bill.

"The world has changed," said Mr. Lieberman, adding that terrorists "make no distinction between soldiers and civilians, between foreign and domestic locations when they attack us."

But Mr. Inhofe echoed Mr. Byrd's criticism that the measure was a "rush to judgment."