The President wants to make room for new domestic programs by further squeezing agency budgets.

By 1966, the agency budget was $235 million.

The agency budget has been reduced 37 percent since 1999, according to Congressional reports.

And an across-the-board cut shaved about $8 billion from current agency budgets.

This may be true, but in the world of bureaucracies, even having the president's ear is no match for authority over an agency budget.

Discretionary funds are available in agency budgets for this purpose.

This new director of national intelligence would be able to make only marginal changes to agency budgets and interactions.

The Legislature would also have to approve the agency budget.

Since the late 1970's, however, both Republican and Democratic administrations have cut back on agency budgets.

The next agency budgets will take place in the new parliamentary term.