Thompson Wins Seat on Important House Intelligence Committee
January 18, 2007
Last night, Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the appointment of Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Thompson, who is entering his fifth term of Congress, will also continue to serve on the Ways and Means Committee.
“I am honored that the Speaker has entrusted me with the enormous responsibility of serving on the House Intelligence Committee,” said Thompson. “Maintaining our nation's strength and prosperity in a post-9/11 world calls for a well supported and evolving intelligence community, which I will work diligently to achieve,” said Thompson. “However, I also intend to engage in an honest debate about whether U.S. intelligence policies are truly making us safer. There are some serious questions that need to be asked about how we've handled terrorism, surveillance and the war in Iraq, and I plan to get some answers.”
Committee members' primary responsibility is to provide oversight of the federal government's intelligence community and draft intelligence legislation. The breadth of the committee's reach is extensive; the committee has oversight responsibility for portions of seven major Cabinet departments and numerous agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency, Department of Defense, Department of Energy Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice and Department of State. In addition, the Committee authorizes all government funding for U.S. intelligence efforts.
“Americans made it clear during the last election that they want better accountability of our government's foreign policy and national security decisions,” said Thompson. “As Democrats bring balance and bipartisanship back to federal government, I will help make sure we also provide the rigorous oversight Americans have asked for.”
Thompson, a combat Vietnam veteran, has introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at increasing accountability in Iraq and Afghanistan, responsibly redeploying troops out of Iraq and enhancing service-related benefits for American veterans. As a freshman legislator, Thompson was appointed to the House Committee on Armed Services, where he served until 2002. He was appointed to the Committee on Ways and Means in the 109th Congress, where he currently serves on the Health and Select Revenue Measures subcommittees.
“I am honored that the Speaker has entrusted me with the enormous responsibility of serving on the House Intelligence Committee,” said Thompson. “Maintaining our nation's strength and prosperity in a post-9/11 world calls for a well supported and evolving intelligence community, which I will work diligently to achieve,” said Thompson. “However, I also intend to engage in an honest debate about whether U.S. intelligence policies are truly making us safer. There are some serious questions that need to be asked about how we've handled terrorism, surveillance and the war in Iraq, and I plan to get some answers.”
Committee members' primary responsibility is to provide oversight of the federal government's intelligence community and draft intelligence legislation. The breadth of the committee's reach is extensive; the committee has oversight responsibility for portions of seven major Cabinet departments and numerous agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency, Department of Defense, Department of Energy Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice and Department of State. In addition, the Committee authorizes all government funding for U.S. intelligence efforts.
“Americans made it clear during the last election that they want better accountability of our government's foreign policy and national security decisions,” said Thompson. “As Democrats bring balance and bipartisanship back to federal government, I will help make sure we also provide the rigorous oversight Americans have asked for.”
Thompson, a combat Vietnam veteran, has introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at increasing accountability in Iraq and Afghanistan, responsibly redeploying troops out of Iraq and enhancing service-related benefits for American veterans. As a freshman legislator, Thompson was appointed to the House Committee on Armed Services, where he served until 2002. He was appointed to the Committee on Ways and Means in the 109th Congress, where he currently serves on the Health and Select Revenue Measures subcommittees.
Issues:Defense