WikiLeaks Document Release
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RS21431
February 2, 2009
Congressional Research Service
Report RS21431
House Select Committee on Homeland Security: A Fact Sheet
Judy Schneider, Government and Finance Division
October 4, 2004
Abstract. On January 7, 2003, the House created a Select Committee on Homeland Security. The panel is
granted legislative and oversight jurisdiction over the newly created Department of Homeland Security. It is also
mandated to study House rules, including Rule X, as they apply to homeland security matters and recommend
changes to the House Rules Committee no later than September 30, 2004.
Order Code RS21431
Updated October 4, 2004
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
House Select Committee on Homeland
Security: A Fact Sheet
Judy Schneider
Specialist on the Congress
Government and Finance Division
Summary
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RS21431
On January 7, 2003, the House created a Select Committee on Homeland Security.
The panel is granted legislative and oversight jurisdiction over the newly created
Department of Homeland Security. It is also mandated to study House rules, including
Rule X, as they apply to homeland security matters and recommend changes to the
House Rules Committee no later than September 30, 2004. The Homeland Security
Committee's report was released and sent to the Rules Committee on September 30,
2004. For options on committee organization, see CRS Report RS21360, Department
of Homeland Security: Options for House and Senate Committee Organization and CRS
Report RS21643, House Committee System: Jurisdiction and Referral Reform Options.
This fact sheet will be updated as events warrant.
Creation. On January 7, 2003, pursuant to H.Res. 5, the House created the Select
Committee on Homeland Security.1 The resolution grants the panel jurisdiction over
matters related to the Homeland Security Act (P.L. 107-296), as well as jurisdiction over
the new Department of Homeland Security. The resolution further authorizes the select
committee to conduct a "thorough and complete study of the operation and
implementation of the rules of the House, including Rule X, with respect to the issue of
homeland security" and to recommend changes to the Rules Committee no later than
September 30, 2004. The Homeland Security Committee's report was released and sent
to the Rules Committee on September 30, 2004.2
1
For information on other changes affecting the committee system, see CRS Report RS21382,
Committee System Rules Changes in the House, 108th Congress.
2
Full-text of the report at [http://homelandsecurity.house.gov/files/reccomendationsreport.pdf].
Congressional Research Service ~ The Library of Congress
CRS-2
Membership. On February 12, 2003, the Speaker and Minority Leader announced
their appointments to the select committee. The committee has 27 Republican3 and 23
Democratic members. Representative Christopher Cox and Representative Jim Turner
had previously been designated chair and ranking minority member, respectively.
In order to comply with House and respective party rules limiting committee
assignments, 13 Democratic Members and three Republican Members will take leaves of
absence from other committees on which they serve. Listed at the end of this report are
the members of the select committee, as well as designation of their other committee
assignment(s), and chairmanship or ranking position, if applicable. If the committee from
which a member is planning to take a leave of absence is known, it is noted. (Some
Members have inserted letters of intent in the February 12, 2003 Congressional Record.)
Staff and Funding. Chairman Cox and ranking member Turner asked for
$700,000 in "seed money" to begin operations of the panel, including staff salaries, office
equipment, and computers. On February 13, 2003, the House agreed to H.Res. 77,
providing such interim funding. Additional funding of $11,028,787 for the remainder of
the 108th Congress was provided pursuant to H.Res. 110, agreed to May 8, 2003.
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Subcommittees. The select committee created four policy subcommittees:
Infrastucture and Border Security; Emergency Preparedness and Response; Cybersecurity,
Science, and Research and Development; and Intelligence and Counterterrorism. A fifth
Subcommittee on Rules, was also created to review House committee jurisdiction over
Homeland Security.
Republican Other Committee Democratic Other Committee
Members Assignment(s) Members Assignment(s)
Christopher Cox, Energy and Jim Turner, ranking Armed Services
chair Commerce member
Jennifer Dunn, vice Ways and Means Bennie Thompson Agriculture
chair
C.W. Bill Young Appropriations Loretta Sanchez Armed Services
(chair)
Education and the
Workforce (on
leave)
Don Young Resources Edward Markey Energy and
Commerce
Transportation and
Infrastructure Resources (on
(chair) leave)
3
Representative Porter Goss resigned from the House on Sept. 23, 20004, bringing the number
of Republicans to 26.
CRS-3
Republican Other Committee Democratic Other Committee
Members Assignment(s) Members Assignment(s)
F. James Judiciary (chair) Norman Dicks Appropriations
Sensenbrenner
David Dreier Rules (chair) Barney Frank Financial Services
(ranking member)
Duncan Hunter Armed Services Jane Harman Intelligence (ranking
(chair) member)
Harold Rogers Appropriations, Benjamin Cardin Ways and Means
Subcommittee on
Homeland Security,
chair
Sherwood Boehlert Science (chair) Louise Slaughter Rules
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Transportation and
Infrastructure
Intelligence
Joe Barton Energy and Peter DeFazio Transportation and
(appointed Apr. Commerce (chair) Infrastructure
2004 to replace W.J.
"Billy" Tauzin) Resources (on
leave)
Lamar Smith Judiciary Robert Andrews Armed Services
(on leave)
Science
Education and the
Workforce
Curt Weldon Armed Services Eleanor Holmes Government Reform
Norton (on leave)
Science
Transportation and
Infrastructure
Christopher Shays Budget Nita Lowey Appropriations
Financial Services
Government Reform
Science (on leave)
Dave Camp Ways and Means Zoe Lofgren Judiciary
Science (on leave)
CRS-4
Republican Other Committee Democratic Other Committee
Members Assignment(s) Members Assignment(s)
Lincoln Diaz-Balart Rules Karen McCarthy Energy and
Commerce
Robert Goodlatte Agriculture (chair) Sheila Jackson-Lee Judiciary
Judiciary Science
Ernest Istook Appropriations Bill Pascrell Small Business
(on leave)
Transportation and
Infrastructure
Peter King Financial Services Donna Christensen Resources
International Small Business
Relations (on leave)
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John Linder House Bob Etheridge Agriculture
Administration
Science (on leave)
Rules
Porter Goss Intelligence (chair) Ken Lucas Agriculture
(resigned from the (on leave)
House, Sept. 23, Rules
2004) Financial Services
John Shadegg Energy and James Langevin Armed Services
Commerce
Small Business
Financial Services (on leave)
Mark Souder Education and the Kendrick Meek Armed Services
Workforce
(on leave) Budget (on leave)
Government Reform
Science
Mac Thornberry Armed Services Ben Chandler Agriculture
(Charles Gonzalez
Budget served until Mar. International Affairs
2004)
CRS-5
Republican Other Committee Democratic Other Committee
Members Assignment(s) Members Assignment(s)
Jim Gibbons Armed Services
Resources
Veterans Affairs
(on leave)
Intelligence
Kay Granger Appropriations
Pete Sessions Rules
John Sweeney Appropriations
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