Federal Drive

Congress trims funds for high-tech surveillance

Congress is putting the spy world on a diet by trimming back planned growth in staff and high-tech surveillance programs.

Federal News Network Staff

December 21, 2011 7:49 am

< a min read

Congress is putting the spy world on a diet by trimming back planned growth in staff and high-tech surveillance programs, the Associated Press reports.

Next year’s budget stays roughly the same as this year, at just under $80 billion.

The bill doesn’t cancel any programs. It denies extra funds for things like spy satellites and new hires. The money stays for cybersecurity staff and tracking terrorist money.

One change in the new measure: Families of intelligence officers will get the same financial help for burial expenses as those of uniformed military, if officers are killed by terrorists.

This story is part of Federal News Radio’s daily Cybersecurity Update. For more cybersecurity news, click here.