Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is a committee of the United States Senate responsible for overseeing the nation's intelligence community, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Security Agency (NSA), and Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). The committee was established on May 19, 1976, in response to the Church Committee's investigation into the CIA's and FBI's alleged abuses of power, as well as the Watergate scandal and the Iran-Contra affair. The committee's creation was also influenced by the Pike Committee and the Rockefeller Commission, which investigated the CIA's and NSA's activities. The committee works closely with the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to ensure that the nation's intelligence agencies are operating effectively and within the law, as mandated by the National Security Act of 1947 and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.

● History

The committee was formed in response to a series of scandals and controversies surrounding the CIA and FBI in the 1970s, including the Church Committee's investigation into the CIA's alleged assassination plots against foreign leaders, such as Fidel Castro and Patrice Lumumba. The committee's first chair was Daniel Inouye, who played a key role in shaping the committee's mission and jurisdiction, working closely with Ted Kennedy and Frank Church. Over the years, the committee has been chaired by prominent senators, including Barry Goldwater, David Durenberger, Arlen Specter, and Dianne Feinstein, who have worked to ensure that the nation's intelligence agencies are operating effectively and within the law, as mandated by the USA PATRIOT Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The committee has also worked closely with other congressional committees, such as the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Committee on Homeland Security, to address issues related to national security and counterterrorism, including the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War.

● Jurisdiction

The committee has jurisdiction over the nation's intelligence agencies, including the CIA, FBI, NSA, and DIA, as well as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the National Intelligence Council (NIC). The committee is responsible for overseeing the intelligence community's activities, including covert operations, signals intelligence, and human intelligence, as well as its budget and personnel, as authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act and the Intelligence Authorization Act. The committee also has jurisdiction over issues related to cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and counterproliferation, working closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Energy (DOE). The committee's jurisdiction is defined by the National Security Act of 1947 and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which established the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC).

● Membership

The committee is composed of 15 members, with 8 members from the Democratic Party and 7 members from the Republican Party. The committee's members are selected by the Senate Majority Leader and the Senate Minority Leader, and are typically drawn from the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee's current members include Mark Warner, Marco Rubio, Richard Burr, Dianne Feinstein, Ron Wyden, Susan Collins, and Martin Heinrich, who have worked on issues related to national security and intelligence oversight, including the USA FREEDOM Act and the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA). The committee's members have also worked closely with other congressional committees, such as the House Intelligence Committee and the Senate Homeland Security Committee, to address issues related to counterterrorism and cybersecurity.

● Investigations

The committee has conducted numerous investigations into the nation's intelligence agencies and their activities, including the CIA's use of enhanced interrogation techniques and the NSA's bulk collection of telephone metadata. The committee has also investigated issues related to cybersecurity, including the Sony Pictures hack and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data breach, working closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The committee's investigations have led to the publication of several reports, including the Torture Report and the Russia Investigation Report, which have shed light on the nation's intelligence agencies and their activities, including the CIA's rendition program and the NSA's PRISM program. The committee has also worked closely with other congressional committees, such as the House Oversight Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, to address issues related to intelligence oversight and national security.

● Notable Hearings

The committee has held numerous notable hearings over the years, including hearings on the CIA's use of enhanced interrogation techniques, the NSA's bulk collection of telephone metadata, and the Russia investigation. The committee has also held hearings on issues related to cybersecurity, including the Sony Pictures hack and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data breach, with testimony from James Comey, John Brennan, and Michael Rogers. The committee's hearings have provided a platform for intelligence community leaders, including Dan Coats and Gina Haspel, to testify on issues related to national security and intelligence oversight, and have helped to inform the public about the nation's intelligence agencies and their activities, including the CIA's covert operations and the NSA's signals intelligence programs. The committee's hearings have also been covered by major news outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN.