Pelosi & Feinstein Cut Deal on Intel Oversight
The Hill reports:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Intelligence Chairman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) have a deal on an intelligence authorization bill that would establish new oversight rules of the intelligence community.
The Senate passed a new verison of the intelligence authorization bill Monday night by voice vote and a Democratic aide said the House could approve it this week.
Congress has not approved an intelligence authorization bill in nearly six years.
Pelosi had held up the intelligence authorization bill because of concerns whether it would give members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence enough oversight of covert operations.
The speaker, a former member of the House intelligence committee, also wanted to empower Congress to use the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the intelligence agencies.
The newest version of the legislation includes those demands. Pelosi praised the changes in a statement Tuesday.
“In passing the Intelligence Authorization Act last night, the Senate upheld our first responsibility – to ensure the security of the American people – while addressing two key objectives. It expands and improves the Congressional notification process for covert action and provides the framework for GAO access to intelligence community information so that the GAO can conduct investigations, audits, and evaluations as requested by Congress," she said. "I look forward to the House passing the legislation this week."
Feinstein explained the changes in a Senate floor statement Monday.
An amendment allows intelligence officials to continue the practice of giving “limited notification” of extremely sensitive covert operations to the so-called Gang of Eight, which consists of the chairman and ranking members of the intelligence committees and the senior party leaders in the House and Senate.
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