U.S.: spying by Russia and China near Cold War levels

By Randall Mikkelsen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Spying on the United States by Russia and China has rebounded almost to Cold War levels, the top U.S. spy chief told Congress on Tuesday in seeking a permanent expansion of U.S. eavesdropping authority.

National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell made the accusation as the White House stepped up lobbying a sceptical Democratic-led Congress for broadened surveillance powers, which are primarily cast as a counterterrorism tool.

"China and Russia's foreign intelligence services are among the most aggressive in collecting against sensitive and protected U.S. systems, facilities and development projects," McConnell told the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee in written testimony.

"Their efforts are approaching Cold War levels," he said.

McConnell declined to elaborate after the hearing.

His spokesman, Ross Feinstein, said the testimony was meant to emphasize that the eavesdropping authority under the 1978 Foreign Intelligence and Surveillance Act, or FISA, is needed for traditional counterintelligence as well as terrorism surveillance.

"FISA is beyond a terrorist tool, we are talking about foreign intelligence as well," he said.

China and Russia, along with Iran, have long been considered leading countries which spy on the United States.