United States House Committee on Homeland Security

United States House Committee on Homeland Security

The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. Its responsibilities include U.S. security legislation and oversight of the Department of Homeland Security.

Role of the Committee

The committee conducts oversight and handles legislation (and resolutions) related to the security of the United States. The committee may amend, approve, or table homeland security related bills. It also has the power to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and subpoena witnesses. Additionally, the committee has authorization and policy oversight responsibilities over the Department of Homeland Security.

During the 110th United States Congress, the committee reorganized itself into six subcommittees, with each focusing on different aspects of security:
* Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism
* Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment
* Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection
* Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology
* Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response
* Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight

Rules of the Committee

The committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month while the House is in session. It is not permitted to conduct business unless a quorum is present, which the rules define as one third of its members. A majority of members are required for certain actions including: issuing a subpoena, entering executive session, and immunizing a witness. Committee members have access to classified information but must adhere to stringent access control procedures.

History of the Committee

In the 107th Congress, the House Select Committee on Homeland Security was established on June 19, 2002, pursuant to H. Res. 449 (adopted by voice vote). The Committee was composed of nine Members of the House: Mr. Armey, Chairman; Mr. DeLay; Mr. Watts of Oklahoma; Ms. Pryce of Ohio; Mr. Portman; Ms. Pelosi; Mr. Frost; Mr. Menendez; and Ms. DeLauro.

The mandate of the Select Committee in the 107th Congress was to “develop recommendations and report to the House on such matters that relate to the establishment of a department of homeland security.” The Select Committee accomplished its mandate on November 22, 2002, when the House concurred in the Senate amendment to H.R. 5005 by unanimous consent, and cleared H.R. 5005 for the President. The bill was presented to the President on November 22, 2002, and was signed on November 25, 2002, becoming Public Law number 107-296, the "Homeland Security Act of 2002".

The termination date of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security was “after final disposition of a bill including final disposition of any veto message on such bill, ” which occurred on November 25, 2002.

The second select committee was formed in 2003 at the beginning of the 108th Congress as a select committee with Rep. Chris Cox of California as its Chairman and Jim Turner of Texas as its Ranking Member. The creation of the committee was necessitated by the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. As an executive branch department, the newly formed Department of Homeland Security required congressional counterparts to facilitate legislative action and oversight.

The committee was made permanent when it was elevated to standing status by vote of the House of Representatives on January 4, 2005 on the opening day of the 109th Congress, again with Rep. Chris Cox as its first permanent Chairman. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi was the Committee' first permanent Ranking Member. Chris Cox, however, resigned from Congress in July 2005 to become the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Rep. Peter King of New York was named as his replacement as Chairman for the remainder of the 109th Congress.

As Congress switched parties at the beginning of the 110th, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson is now the Chairman of the Committee and Rep. Peter King is now the Ranking Member. The Committee continues to operate in a bipartisan manner, passing almost all of its legislation out of the Committee unanimously.

Members, 110th Congress

Committee Chairmen

* Chris Cox (R-CA), 2002-2005
* Peter T. King (R-NY), 2005-2006
* Bennie Thompson (D-MS), 2007-Present

ubcommittees

External links

* [http://hsc.house.gov/ Committee on Homeland Security homepage]
* [http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/ U.S. Department of Homeland Security homepage]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • United States House Committee on Homeland Security — Das United States House Committee on Homeland Security ist ein ständiger Ausschuss des Repräsentantenhauses der Vereinigten Staaten. Derzeitiger Vorsitzender ist Peter T. King (R NY), Oppositionsführer (Ranking Member) ist Bennie Thompson (D MS)… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs — The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has jurisdiction over matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and other homeland security concerns, as well as the functioning of the government… …   Wikipedia

  • United States House Committee on the Judiciary — President Gerald Ford appearing at a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing regarding his pardon of Richard Nixon (October 17, 1974). The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of… …   Wikipedia

  • United States House Committee on Financial Services — Meeting of the House Financial Services Committee The United States House Committee on Financial Services (also referred to as the House Banking Committee) is the committee of the United States House of Representatives that oversees the entire… …   Wikipedia

  • United States House Committee on House Administration — At a hearing during the 109th Congress, then Chairman Vernon J. Ehlers greets then Ranking Member Juanita Millender McDonald. The United States House Committee on House Administration deals with the general administration matters of the United… …   Wikipedia

  • United States House Committee on the Judiciary — Das United States House Committee on the Judiciary (auch: House Judiciary Committee) ist ein ständiger Ausschuss des Repräsentantenhauses der Vereinigten Staaten. Derzeitiger Vorsitzender ist Lamar S. Smith (R TX), Oppositionsführer (Ranking… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • United States House Committee on Appropriations — The Committee on Appropriations is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is in charge of setting the specific expenditures of money by the government of the United States. As such, it is one of the most powerful of the… …   Wikipedia

  • United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform — The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is a United States House of Representatives committee that has existed in varying forms since 1816. The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the main investigative committee in the U.S.… …   Wikipedia

  • United States House Committee on Education and the Workforce — The Committee on Education and the Workforce is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. From 1947 until 1994 and again from 2007 to 2011, during Democratic control of the House, it was known as the Committee on… …   Wikipedia

  • United States House Committee on Ways and Means — Ways and Means Committee redirects here. For the UK committee, see Committee of Ways and Means. The Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”