US House passes intelligence reform bill

The US House of Representatives has approved a legislation to revamp America's intelligence network.

The bill, which was approved on Tuesday, adopts the recommendations of the September 11 panel on ways to prevent future terrorist attacks.

Republican Senator Susan Collins said the legislation gives America's half-century-old security apparatus a much-needed facelift.

"This legislation is going to make a real difference to the security of our country," Collins said.

The top Democrat on the reform bill effort, Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, acknowleged that although there was agreement in Congress that some sort of intelligence reform was needed, crafting a bill that lawmakers in both houses and both parties could agree on was not easy.

He said the bill "will reform America's intelligence assets so that to the best extent possible we can feel that we are ready to prevent another September 11."