Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) thinks Congress should have more of a voice in picking who runs the agencies that control a major portion of the nation’s intelligence funds. Mikulski, who is a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has introduced legislation that would add a Senate confirmation requirement for nominees to head the National Security Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The measure would have the Senate vet nominees for “suitability,” a process that historically has belonged to the Pentagon and the President, and lately also to the new director of national intelligence. The White House has taken no stance on the proposal yet.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
