United States House Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select)

United States House Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select) is a United States congressional committee that oversees the nation's intelligence community, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and National Security Agency (NSA). The committee was established in 1977, following the recommendations of the Church Committee, which was led by Frank Church and investigated the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) domestic spying activities, as well as those of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and National Security Agency (NSA). The committee's creation was also influenced by the Pike Committee, which was led by Otis G. Pike and investigated the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) and National Security Agency's (NSA) activities. The committee works closely with other congressional committees, including the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, to ensure effective oversight of the intelligence community.

● History

The committee was established on July 14, 1977, with the passage of Public Law 95-40, which was signed into law by Jimmy Carter. 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, which involved Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Oliver North. The committee has also investigated other significant events, including the September 11 attacks, which were carried out by Al-Qaeda and led to the launch of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) by George W. Bush. The committee has also examined the Iraq War, which was authorized by George W. Bush and involved the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and National Security Agency (NSA). The committee's work has been influenced by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978, which was signed into law by Jimmy Carter and established the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

● Jurisdiction

The committee has jurisdiction over the intelligence community, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and National Security Agency (NSA). The committee also oversees the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), which was established by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, signed into law by George W. Bush. The committee works closely with other congressional committees, including the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, to ensure effective oversight of the intelligence community. The committee's jurisdiction also includes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which was established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, signed into law by George W. Bush. The committee has also examined the role of private military companies, such as Blackwater Worldwide, in intelligence community operations.

● Membership

The committee is composed of 21 members, with 13 members from the Democratic Party and 8 members from the Republican Party. The committee is chaired by Mike Turner, who has served on the committee since 2015. The ranking member is Jim Himes, who has served on the committee since 2013. Other notable members include Adam Schiff, who chaired the committee from 2019 to 2023, and Devin Nunes, who chaired the committee from 2015 to 2019. The committee's members have included Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, and Kevin McCarthy, who have all played important roles in shaping the committee's work.

● Subcommittees

The committee has six subcommittees, each with its own jurisdiction and responsibilities. The subcommittees include the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, and Counterproliferation, which is chaired by Elissa Slotkin, and the Subcommittee on Strategic Technologies and Advanced Research, which is chaired by Jamil Jaffer. The committee also has subcommittees on Intelligence Modernization and Readiness, Defense Intelligence and Warfighter Support, National Security Agency and Cybersecurity, and Central Intelligence Agency. The subcommittees work closely with the full committee to ensure effective oversight of the intelligence community.

● Investigations

The committee has conducted numerous investigations into significant events and issues, including the September 11 attacks, the Iraq War, and the Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. The committee has also examined the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) use of enhanced interrogation techniques, which were authorized by George W. Bush and involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and National Security Agency (NSA). The committee's investigations have been influenced by the Church Committee and the Pike Committee, which investigated the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) domestic spying activities and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) and National Security Agency's (NSA) activities. The committee's work has also been shaped by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978 and the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, which was signed into law by George W. Bush. The committee's investigations have involved Robert Mueller, James Comey, and John Brennan, who have all played important roles in shaping the committee's work. Category:United States congressional committees