House Select Committee on Homeland Security: A Fact Sheet
CRS Report for Congress
House Select Committee on Homeland
Security: A Fact Sheet
Judy Schneider
Specialist on the Congress
Government and Finance Division
Summary
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 sent2
to the Rules Committee on September 30, 2004.
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
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.
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.
RepublicanOther CommitteeDemocraticOther Committee
Members Assignment(s) Members Assignment(s)
Christopher Cox, Energy andJim Turner, ranking Armed Services
chair C o mme r c e me mb e r
Jennifer Dunn, viceWays and MeansBennie ThompsonAgriculture
chair
C.W. Bill YoungAppropriationsLoretta SanchezArmed Services
(chair)
Education and the
Workforce (on
leave)
Don YoungResourcesEdward MarkeyEnergy and
Commerce
Transportation and
InfrastructureResources (on
(chair) leave)
3 Representative Porter Goss resigned from the House on Sept. 23, 20004, bringing the number
of Republicans to 26.
RepublicanOther CommitteeDemocraticOther Committee
Members Assignment(s) Members Assignment(s)
F. JamesJudiciary (chair)Norman DicksAppropriations
Sensenbrenner
David DreierRules (chair)Barney FrankFinancial Services
(ranking member)
Duncan HunterArmed ServicesJane HarmanIntelligence (ranking
(chair)member)
Harold RogersAppropriations,Benjamin CardinWays and Means
Subcommittee on
Homeland Security,
chair
Sherwood BoehlertScience (chair)Louise SlaughterRules
Transportation and
Infrastructure
Intelligence
Joe BartonEnergy andPeter DeFazioTransportation and
(appointed Apr.Commerce (chair)Infrastructure
“Billy” Tauzin)Resources (on
leave)
Lamar SmithJudiciaryRobert AndrewsArmed Services
(on leave)
Science
Education and the
Workforce
Curt WeldonArmed ServicesEleanor HolmesGovernment Reform
Norton(on leave)
Science
Transportation and
Infrastructure
Christopher ShaysBudgetNita LoweyAppropriations
Financial Services
Government Reform
Science (on leave)
Dave CampWays and MeansZoe LofgrenJudiciary
Science (on leave)
RepublicanOther CommitteeDemocraticOther Committee
Members Assignment(s) Members Assignment(s)
Lincoln Diaz-BalartRulesKaren McCarthyEnergy and
Commerce
Robert GoodlatteAgriculture (chair)Sheila Jackson-LeeJudiciary
J udiciary Science
Ernest IstookAppropriationsBill PascrellSmall Business
(on leave)
Transportation and
Infrastructure
Peter KingFinancial ServicesDonna ChristensenResources
InternationalSmall Business
Relations(on leave)
John LinderHouseBob EtheridgeAgriculture
Administration
Science (on leave)
Rules
Porter GossIntelligence (chair)Ken LucasAgriculture
(resigned from the(on leave)
House, Sept. 23,Rules
2004)Financial Services
John ShadeggEnergy andJames LangevinArmed Services
Commerce
Small Business
Financial Services(on leave)
Mark SouderEducation and theKendrick MeekArmed Services
Workforce
(on leave)Budget (on leave)
Government Reform
Science
Mac ThornberryArmed ServicesBen ChandlerAgriculture
(Charles Gonzalez
Budgetserved until Mar.International Affairs
RepublicanOther CommitteeDemocraticOther Committee
Members Assignment(s) Members Assignment(s)
Jim GibbonsArmed Services
Resources
Veterans Affairs
(on leave)
Intelligence
Kay GrangerAppropriations
Pete SessionsRules
John SweeneyAppropriations