Mr. Roberts described his plan as faithful to the commission's recommendation to create a national intelligence director with real power.

Some are even balking at creating a national intelligence director and ending the Pentagon's stranglehold on $40 billion in intelligence budgeting.

The bill would carry out recommendations of the 9/11 commission and create a national intelligence director at the cabinet level.

The blocked measure - a product of the independent 9/11 commission and a two-house conference compromise - would create a powerful new intelligence director to cut through gridlock.

The more quickly Congress passes legislation to create a national intelligence director, the more quickly discipline will be restored.

U.S. President George W. Bush urges Congress to create a national intelligence director and a national counterterrorism center.

Like the Senate proposal, the bipartisan Sept. 11 commission called for creating a powerful national intelligence director to oversee the nation's intelligence agencies.

It would create a national intelligence director with most of the powers sought by the commission.

Both bills would create a national intelligence director, the central recommendation of the Sept. 11 commission.

The idea of creating a national intelligence director has faced opposition from both the C.I.A. and the Pentagon, which would have to cede some authority.