The White House's decision falls in line with changes recommended three months ago by a presidential commission that reviewed the law that created John Negroponte's post, The New York Times (NYSE:NYT) reported Wednesday.

The commission had recommended the changes after it decided that Negroponte's control over the FBI was not specific enough for him to effectively direct its counterterrorism and counterintelligence operations and to coordinate them with the CIA.

The changes allow Negroponte to exercise authority over budgets and appointments at planned new national security divisions at the FBI and the Justice Department. The commission had said the changes were needed because "in the case of the FBI, the DNI's tools for ensuring influence remain troublingly vague."

The announced changes followed a 90-day review by homeland security adviser Frances Fragos Townsend of recommendations made by the commission March 30.