Number: RS21360
Title: Department of Homeland Security: Options for House and Senate Committee Organization
Authors: Judy Schneider and Paul Rundquist, Government and Finance Division 
Abstract: The 9/11 Commission Report recommended that the House and Senate each have a permanent standing committee as the principal committee for conducting oversight and review for homeland security. Earlier, pursuant to PL 107-296, the Homeland Security Act, a new Department of Homeland Security was established. Congress began discussions regarding the appropriate congressional structure to conduct oversight and fund the new department. Section 1503 of the legislation states the sense of Congress that each chamber should review its committee structure in light of the reorganization of the executive branch, and the House, in the 108th Congress, established a Select Committee on Homeland Security with a mandate to report recommendations for changes in the House committee system by September 30, 2004. Each chamber might decide to retain its current structure, make minor alterations to its current jurisdictional alignment, make extensive jurisdictional changes, create a standing committee, re-establish the existing House select committee, or establish one or more new select committees with revised authorities. Further changes might also be made in the structure of the Appropriations Committees.
Pages: 6
Date: August 13, 2004