President Barack Obama's proposed budget unveiled Wednesday calls for cuts of at least $4.4 billion to America's intelligence agencies, in a sign of growing fiscal pressures. Obama is requesting $48.2 billion for the CIA and other spy agencies starting October 1, down from a proposed $52.6 billion for fiscal year 2013, according to the national intelligence director's office. Separately, the Pentagon said it had requested $14 billion for military intelligence programs, down from $21.5 billion spent in fiscal year 2012.

White House advisors have warned that US spy agencies are too focused on anti-terror operations and pay inadequate attention to China, the Middle East and other flashpoints, a news report said Thursday. The Washington Post reported that a panel of White House advisors warned President Barack Obama last year that the work of the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency and other US spy services had been distorted by more than a decade of counterterror efforts following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee plan to hold a vote on Thursday on the confirmation of White House aide John Brennan to become director of the CIA, congressional officials said. The officials said some members of the committee are unsatisfied with White House responses to requests for documents on drone policy and the attacks on U.S. installations in Benghazi, Libya, last Sept. 11, but the panel still expects to call a vote on Brennan later this week.