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Thursday, May 31, 2012 9:46 PM UTC

House votes small boost in intelligence spending

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Topics: From the Wires,

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are voting to give the intelligence community a few billion dollars more than the White House wants in a bill that covers everything from the CIA to high-tech satellites.

The White House says it doesn’t like it, but so far hasn’t threatened to veto the legislation, which the House passed on Thursday.

The White House had requested $72 billion to fund spying in 2013, but officials indicated the House budget is around $77 billion, speaking anonymously to describe the still-classified figure.

Steve Aftergood of the Federation of American Scientists says Congress wants to spend more on things like commercial satellite imagery.

Lawmakers said the bill would add a small number of personnel in key positions like cyber security, counterintelligence and FBI surveillance of terrorists.

More Kimberly Dozier.

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