House Select Committee on Intelligence

House Select Committee on Intelligence
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Committee	House Select Committee on Intelligence
Chamber	U.S. House of Representatives
Formed	1977
Chair	Mike Turner
Ranking member	Jim Himes

House Select Committee on Intelligence. The committee was established by Tip O'Neill in 1977, following the recommendations of the Church Committee, which was led by Frank Church and included members such as Ottis G. Pike and Bella Abzug. The committee's creation was also influenced by the Pike Committee and the Watergate scandal, which involved figures like Richard Nixon, H.R. Haldeman, and John Ehrlichman. The committee's first chair was Edward Boland, who worked closely with other lawmakers, including Ron Dellums and Les Aspin.

● History

The committee's history is closely tied to the Cold War and the War on Terror, with notable events including the Iran–Contra affair, which involved figures like Oliver North and Manuel Noriega, and the September 11 attacks, which led to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, signed into law by George W. Bush. The committee has also been involved in oversight of the Central Intelligence Agency, led by directors such as George H.W. Bush, William Casey, and Leon Panetta, as well as the National Security Agency, which has been led by directors like Michael Hayden and Keith B. Alexander. Other key figures in the committee's history include Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, and John Boehner, who have all played important roles in shaping the committee's agenda and priorities, often in consultation with experts like Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski.

● Jurisdiction

The committee has jurisdiction over the United States Intelligence Community, which includes agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation, led by directors such as J. Edgar Hoover and Robert Mueller, and the Defense Intelligence Agency, which has been led by directors like Vincent Stewart and Robert Ashley. The committee also oversees the National Intelligence Council, which is led by the Director of National Intelligence, a position held by individuals like John Negroponte and James Clapper. Additionally, the committee has jurisdiction over the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, which is responsible for developing new technologies for the intelligence community, often in partnership with organizations like DARPA and MITRE Corporation. The committee's jurisdiction also extends to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which is responsible for coordinating the activities of the intelligence community, and the National Counterterrorism Center, which is led by directors like John Brennan and Nicholas Rasmussen.

● Membership

The committee is composed of members from both the Democratic and Republican parties, including lawmakers like Adam Schiff, Devin Nunes, and Will Hurd. The committee's membership also includes representatives from other committees, such as the House Committee on Armed Services, which is chaired by members like Mac Thornberry and Adam Smith, and the House Committee on Homeland Security, which is chaired by members like Bennie Thompson and Mike Rogers. Other notable members of the committee include Eric Swalwell, Joanne Herring, and Elise Stefanik, who have all played important roles in shaping the committee's agenda and priorities, often in consultation with experts like David Petraeus and Stanley McChrystal.

● Investigations

The committee has conducted numerous investigations over the years, including the Iran–Contra affair, which involved figures like Robert McFarlane and John Poindexter, and the Plame affair, which involved figures like Valerie Plame and Scooter Libby. The committee has also investigated the NSA warrantless surveillance controversy, which involved figures like George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, and the CIA torture program, which was led by figures like George Tenet and Jose Rodriguez. Other notable investigations conducted by the committee include the Benghazi attack, which involved figures like Susan Rice and John Kerry, and the Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, which involved figures like Vladimir Putin and Sergey Lavrov.

● Notable Hearings

The committee has held numerous notable hearings over the years, including the Church Committee hearings, which were led by Frank Church and included testimony from figures like William Colby and James Schlesinger. The committee has also held hearings on the Iran–Contra affair, which included testimony from figures like Oliver North and John Poindexter, and the September 11 attacks, which included testimony from figures like George Tenet and Richard Clarke. Other notable hearings held by the committee include the NSA warrantless surveillance controversy hearings, which included testimony from figures like Michael Hayden and Keith B. Alexander, and the Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections hearings, which included testimony from figures like James Comey and Robert Mueller. The committee has also held hearings on the CIA torture program, which included testimony from figures like Jose Rodriguez and John Brennan, and the Benghazi attack, which included testimony from figures like Hillary Clinton and Susan Rice.