Congressional Intelligence Committees

In 1976, the Senate created the Select Committee on Intelligence because of "intelligence abuses." The House Committee was created in 1977. These Committees were part of a historical struggle between Congress and the White House over intelligence oversight. For example, the National Security Act of 1947 was a post-WWII attempt to establish effective oversight. The bill also established the "CIA as the nation's first permanent, statutory, and national intelligence entity."

Congress established these Committees in the 1970s in response to Vietnam and concerns about an agency run amuk:

The dam broke on 22 December 1974, when The New York Times published a lengthy article by Seymour Hersh detailing operations engaged in by the CIA over the years that had been dubbed the "family jewels." Covert action programs involving assassination attempts against foreign leaders and covert attempts to subvert foreign governments were reported for the first time. In addition, the article discussed efforts by intelligence agencies to collect information on the political activities of US citizens...

During 1975 and the first half of 1976, the country was rocked by an almost daily stream of disclosures from these committees documenting a pattern of misconduct by the nation's intelligence agencies. These disclosures concerned fairly widespread abuse of the civil rights of American citizens; activities that violated applicable laws and executive branch policies; and clandestine operations overseas that seemed to conflict with US values. At the same time, however, these investigations served to educate committee members about the valuable contributions the intelligence agencies had made in protecting national security and about the significant capabilities they possessed.

In the 1980s, we had Iran-Contra. From A Review of Oversight:

A special prosecutor was appointed to investigate violations of applicable laws, and the oversight committees tried to enact legislation to force the President to notify the committees of all covert actions within 48 hours. Several legislative attempts were made to achieve this, and, in 1990, such a provision was included in the Intelligence Authorization Bill for fiscal year 1991. President Bush vetoed the bill, principally because it contained this provision. The committees were unable to secure a veto override, and they ended the dispute by agreeing to accept notification "in a timely fashion."

Congress later passed the 1992 Intelligence Authorization Act; in Title VII -- separately entitled the "Intelligence Organization Act of 1992" -- amended "the 1947 National Security Act with respect to the organization of the Intelligence Community and the responsibilities and authorities of both the Director of Central Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense."

Like predecessor bills, it was an attempt to force executive accountability. Then-Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney told Congress he would recommend that President Bush (41) veto either the House or Senate bills as introduced (pdf). However, Bush signed the legislation. Then in 1994, the Stanley Moskowitz recommended the CIA "curtail growing GAO initiatives to investigate intelligence activities."

As noted by Pat Holt, Article 1 of Constitution requires that “a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.” However, Presidents dating from Washington have refused to provide details on intelligence spending.

Thus we seem doomed to repeat this cycle: wash, rinse, repeat.

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Committee members in August 2002 in order of seniority:

• Bob Graham (D-FL)
• Carl Levin (D-MI)
• John D. Rockefeller (D-W.VA)
• Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
• Ron Wyden (D-OR)
• Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)
• Evan Bayh (D-IN)
• John Edwards (D-NC)
• Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
• Richard C. Shelby (R-AL)
• Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
• James M. Inhofe (R-OK)
• Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
• Pat Roberts (R-KS)
• Mike DeWine (R-OH)
• Fred Thompson (R-TN)
• Richard Lugar (R-IN)

The House Intelligence Committee members in August 2002 in order of seniority:

• Porter Goss (R-FL)
• Doug Bereuter (R-NE)
• Michael N. Castle (R-DE)
• Sherwood L. Boehlert (R-NY)
• Jim Gibbons (R-NV)
• Ray LaHood (R-IL)
• Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA)
• Peter Hoekstra (R-MI, now ranking member)
• Richard Burr (R-NC)
• Saxby Chambliss (R-NC)
• Leonard Boswell (D-IA, joined the committee in 2001)
• Terry Everett (R-AL, joined the committee in 2002)
• Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
• Sanford D. Bishop (D-GA)
• Jane Harman (D-CA)
• Gary A. Condit (D-CA)
• Tim Roemer (D-IA)
• Silvestre Reyes (D-TX, now chair, joined the committee in 2001)
• Leonard L. Boswell (D-IA)
• Collin C. Peterson (D-MN)
• Bud Cramer (D-AL, joined the committee in 2002)
• J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL, Ex Officio)
• Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO, Ex Officio)

After the House reorganized in January 2003, Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) replaced Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as ranking Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence, and Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) became the number two Democrat. Pelosi replaced Gephardt, serving ex officio. There were no leadership changes among Republicans.

Current members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.