House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 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 and Pike Committee investigations into intelligence agency abuses, which led to the creation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the establishment of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The committee's work is informed by the National Intelligence Estimate and the President's Daily Brief, and it has played a key role in shaping United States foreign policy and national security decisions, including those related to the War on Terror and the Iraq War. The committee's activities are also influenced by the work of other congressional committees, such as the House Committee on Armed Services and the Senate Committee on Armed Services.

History and establishment

The committee was established on July 14, 1977, with the passage of Public Law 95-40, which was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter. The law created the committee as a permanent select committee, with the goal of providing oversight of the United States Intelligence Community and ensuring that intelligence activities were conducted in a manner consistent with United States law and United States Constitution. The committee's establishment was influenced by the work of the Church Committee, which was chaired by Senator Frank Church and investigated intelligence agency abuses in the 1970s, including the CIA's MKUltra program and the FBI's COINTELPRO program. The committee's early work was also shaped by the Pike Committee, which was chaired by Representative Otis Pike and investigated intelligence agency abuses in the 1970s, including the NSA's Project Shamrock and the CIA's Operation Chaos.

Jurisdiction and responsibilities

The committee has jurisdiction over the United States Intelligence Community, including the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other intelligence agencies, such as the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The committee is responsible for overseeing the activities of these agencies, including their intelligence gathering and counterintelligence operations, as well as their cybersecurity and counterterrorism efforts. The committee also has responsibility for overseeing the intelligence budget and ensuring that intelligence activities are conducted in a manner consistent with United States law and United States Constitution, including the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the USA PATRIOT Act. The committee's work is informed by the National Intelligence Estimate and the President's Daily Brief, and it has played a key role in shaping United States foreign policy and national security decisions, including those related to the War on Terror and the Iraq War, as well as the Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Membership and leadership

The committee is composed of 22 members, with 13 members from the Democratic Party and 9 members from the Republican Party. The committee is chaired by Representative Adam Schiff, who has been a member of the committee since 2008 and has played a key role in shaping the committee's agenda, including its investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections and the Trump-Ukraine scandal. The committee's ranking member is Representative Devin Nunes, who has been a member of the committee since 2011 and has played a key role in shaping the committee's agenda, including its investigations into the Benghazi attack and the Hillary Clinton email controversy. Other notable members of the committee include Representative Eric Swalwell, Representative Joaquin Castro, and Representative Will Hurd, who have all played key roles in shaping the committee's agenda and have worked closely with other congressional committees, such as the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Notable investigations and activities

The committee has conducted numerous investigations and activities over the years, including investigations into the Iran-Contra affair, the Aldrich Ames spy case, and the Robert Hanssen spy case. The committee has also played a key role in shaping United States foreign policy and national security decisions, including those related to the War on Terror and the Iraq War. In recent years, the committee has conducted investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections and the Trump-Ukraine scandal, and has worked closely with other congressional committees, such as the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The committee has also held hearings on a range of topics, including cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and intelligence reform, and has worked closely with other government agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Relationship with other intelligence bodies

The committee works closely with other intelligence bodies, including the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the National Intelligence Council, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The committee also works closely with other congressional committees, such as the House Committee on Armed Services and the Senate Committee on Armed Services, to ensure that intelligence activities are conducted in a manner consistent with United States law and United States Constitution. The committee has also worked closely with other government agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security, to address emerging threats, such as terrorism and cyber threats, and has played a key role in shaping the United States Intelligence Community's response to these threats, including the development of the National Counterterrorism Center and the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center.

Criticisms and controversies

The committee has faced criticisms and controversies over the years, including criticisms of its handling of classified information and its relationship with the executive branch. The committee has also faced controversies over its investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections and the Trump-Ukraine scandal, with some critics arguing that the committee's investigations were partisan and politically motivated. The committee has also faced criticisms of its oversight of the United States Intelligence Community, with some critics arguing that the committee has not done enough to address emerging threats, such as terrorism and cyber threats, and has not provided sufficient oversight of intelligence agency activities, including the NSA's surveillance programs and the CIA's drone program. Despite these criticisms, the committee remains a critical component of the United States Congress's oversight of the United States Intelligence Community, and continues to play a key role in shaping United States foreign policy and national security decisions, including those related to the War on Terror and the COVID-19 pandemic.