Intelligence spending on the rise

The federal government spent $47.5 billion on national intelligence in fiscal 2008, an increase of 9 percent over the previous year's outlay, reports Federal Times.

The previous year's spend on national intelligence was $43.5 billion. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence provided the information.

This year's disclosure marks the second time since the 2001 terrorist attacks that the government has publicly revealed significant portions of its intelligence budget and only the fourth time it has released an overall budget figure. The 1997 and 1998 budgets ? $26.6 billion and $26.7 billion ? were made public by then-CIA Director George Tenet. Afterward, budget figures were classified.

The office is required by the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 to release its annual top-line spending for the National Intelligence Program 30 days after the end of the fiscal year. The office does not disclose details about how the money was spent.