House Intelligence Committee

House Intelligence Committee is a committee of the United States House of Representatives responsible for overseeing the United States Intelligence Community, including the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The committee was established in 1977, following the Church Committee's investigation into the Central Intelligence Agency's and Federal Bureau of Investigation's alleged abuses of power, as well as the Pike Committee's investigation into the National Security Agency's and Central Intelligence Agency's alleged wrongdoing. The committee's creation was also influenced by the Watergate scandal and the Iran-Contra affair, which highlighted the need for congressional oversight of the United States Intelligence Community. The committee works closely with other congressional committees, such as the Senate Intelligence Committee, to ensure effective oversight of the United States Intelligence Community, including the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

● History

The committee was formed in response to the Church Committee's and Pike Committee's findings, which revealed widespread abuses of power by the Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation, including the COINTELPRO program and the Operation Mockingbird program. The committee's first chair was Edward Boland, who played a key role in shaping the committee's early work, including its investigation into the Iran-Contra affair and the Soviet-Afghan War. The committee has also been involved in investigating other significant events, such as the September 11 attacks, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War, working closely with other congressional committees, including the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The committee has also worked with various government agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security, to address issues related to counterterrorism and cybersecurity, including the Patriot Act and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

● Jurisdiction

The committee has jurisdiction over the United States Intelligence Community, including the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as other agencies involved in intelligence gathering and national security, such as the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The committee also has jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security's intelligence and counterterrorism activities, including the Transportation Security Administration and the United States Customs and Border Protection. The committee works closely with other congressional committees, such as the House Homeland Security Committee and the Senate Homeland Security Committee, to ensure effective oversight of the United States Intelligence Community and the Department of Homeland Security. The committee's jurisdiction also includes issues related to cybersecurity, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, as well as counterintelligence and counterproliferation, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Counterintelligence Division and the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

● Membership

The committee is composed of members from both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, with the chair and ranking member typically being from the majority and minority parties, respectively. The committee's members include Mike Turner, Jim Himes, André Carson, and Brian Fitzpatrick, among others. The committee also has a number of subcommittees, including the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, and Counterproliferation and the Subcommittee on Strategic Technologies and Advanced Research, which are responsible for overseeing specific areas of the United States Intelligence Community. The committee works closely with other congressional committees, such as the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee, to ensure effective oversight of the United States Intelligence Community and the Department of Defense.

● Subcommittees

The committee has several subcommittees, including the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, and Counterproliferation, which is responsible for overseeing the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Counterterrorism Division and the Department of Homeland Security's Counterterrorism and Cybersecurity Division. The Subcommittee on Strategic Technologies and Advanced Research is responsible for overseeing the National Security Agency's and Central Intelligence Agency's research and development activities, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity. The committee's subcommittees also work closely with other congressional committees, such as the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, to ensure effective oversight of the United States Intelligence Community and the Department of Defense.

● Investigations

The committee has conducted numerous investigations into various issues related to national security and intelligence gathering, including the September 11 attacks, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. The committee has also investigated issues related to cybersecurity, including the Equifax data breach and the SolarWinds cyberattack, working closely with other congressional committees, such as the House Oversight Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee's investigations have led to the passage of several significant pieces of legislation, including the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act, which have helped to improve the United States Intelligence Community's ability to gather and analyze intelligence and to protect the country from cyber threats, including the National Security Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The committee has also worked with various government agencies, including the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, to address issues related to counterterrorism and cybersecurity, including the Patriot Act and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.