Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Order Code RS21955
October 15, 2004
S.Res. 445: Senate Committee
Reorganization for Homeland Security
and Intelligence Matters
Paul S. Rundquist and Christopher M. Davis
Specialist and Analyst in American National Government
Government and Finance Division
Summary
Early in October 2004, a bipartisan Senate working group headed by Senators
Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid issued a series of recommended reforms in Senate
committee operation and jurisdiction with regard to homeland security and intelligence.
The working group recommendations came in the wake of the final report of the
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (also known as the
9/11 Commission), which urged Congress to reorganize its committee structures to
oversee these issues more effectively.
Following four days of debate and amendment, on October 9, 2004, the Senate
passed S.Res. 445, a resolution that implemented a number of the working group’s
suggestions regarding Senate Committee reorganization. These changes, which take
effect on the convening of the 109
th
Congress, include lifting term limits on service on
the Senate Intelligence Committee; raising the Intelligence Committee to category "A"
status; giving the majority and minority leaders power to select the Intelligence
Committee chair and vice chair; reducing the size of the panel from 17 to 15 members;
and changing certain staffing processes of the Intelligence Committee. S.Res. 445 also
renames the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee to the Senate Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and transfers to the new panel jurisdiction
over matters relating to the Department of Homeland Security, with certain limitations.
The resolution establishes a new Intelligence Subcommittee of the Senate Committee
on Appropriations and a new Subcommittee on Oversight on the Intelligence
Committee. It also makes changes to the confirmation process and the sequential
referral of matters reported from the Intelligence Committee. This report will be
updated in the event of further changes to these provisions.
On October 9, 2004, the Senate adopted S.Res. 445, as amended, by a vote of 79 -
6. Passage of the resolution ends the current eight-year limitation for Senators serving on
the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. A substitute amendment to S.Res. 445
offered by Senators Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid was adopted by voice vote before
