The Intelligence Committee has a fascinating and important role. There are days where we hear about things that sound like real life spy moves (yes, think Argo, Bourne Identity, even a little James Bond), but, due to the classified nature of the subject, just about everything we learn must remain a secret. So, I want to share what I can, to help you better understand how I’m spending some of my time in DC.

The Intelligence Committee was created in 1977 to oversee the 18 agencies of our Intelligence Community (IC) including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), as well as ones that may be less familiar to you, like the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) or the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA). The Committee exists because of the revelation of abuses at home and abroad which occurred in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. As they were uncovered, Congress wisely realized it needed a better mechanism to oversee the IC’s activities, and the Committee was born.

Our fundamental mission on the Committee is safeguarding the privacy and civil liberties of Americans and making sure that as the IC performs its critical work, it does so effectively and in a way that is consistent with our laws and values.

While much of our day-to-day work is classified, you might be surprised how many familiar topics fall under the Committee’s oversight. When a Chinese high altitude spy balloon traversed the United States in 2023, the Intelligence Committee received the first briefings on what kind of threats it might pose. I chatted with Stephen Colbert about that, other Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, theories about a Covid Lab Leak, and my beekeeping hobby in March of 2023.

That said, a lot of the work we do on the Committee isn’t particularly glamorous. For example, I have been concerned for a long time that the Intelligence Community isn’t as agile and creative as it should be when it comes to using new technologies. Diving into that issue has meant learning more than I ever wanted to about government procurement law, but it’s important for our national security that we get it right. I led legislation in 2023 and 2024 to spur innovation in our agencies.

The Intelligence Committee also investigates issues, like the unacceptable prevalence of sexual assault and harassment at the CIA. Under the new Administration, I am going to work to keep the Committee bipartisan and apolitical. The work being done by the Intelligence Community is simply too important for political gamesmanship.

I am proud of the collaborative, bipartisan oversight that Congressman Mike Turner and I conducted over the last two years and hope to continue that work with incoming Chairman Rick Crawford throughout the 119th Congress.

You can read more about the Intelligence Committee here, and follow our work on social media. As always, please feel free to reach out to me and my staff with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Jim