In last week's news, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) Will not reelect Congressman Mike Turner As chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, the Democratic congressman (R-Ohio) is concerned about President Donald Trump's relationship with Congressional committees, as well as the committee responsible for overseeing intelligence activities. It sent ripples through Capitol Hill about what it meant for the United States.
The chair instead nominated the ranking committee's incoming Republican, Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Arkansas), to chair the committee. Mr. Crawford, like Mr. Trump, is skeptical about continued U.S. military aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia, while Mr. Turner, a defense hawk, vigorously advocates for increased U.S. aid to Ukraine.
When asked why he made the switch, Johnson said:Some places just need fresh horses'' In a press release, the Speaker still highly praised Turner's “leadership and significant accomplishments in the 118th Congress.'' Mr. Turner will continue to serve on the House Armed Services and Oversight Committee and the Committee on Government Reform, but as chairman. Only mentioned in press release Turner said he would continue in his “important position as chair of the U.S. delegation to NATO Congress.”
It should be emphasized that the Chair had full authority to make changes. Under the rules of the House, all joint committees, select committees, special committees, and conference committees are appointed by the Speaker without requiring House approval. When Turner announced that he would not be reelected as speaker of the 119th Congress, he had not yet announced his choice for this session.
Last Thursday, the Speaker pro tempore read the list to 14 House Republican nominees to serve on what is officially called the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. On Tuesday, the chairman inserted into the record the names of 11 Democratic appointees to the 25-member commission.
What is worrying is the rumored source of the Speaker's decision to remove Mr Turner from the Speakership. “I've been fired,” Turner told CBS News.Concerns from Mar-a-Lago” Both House Speaker Johnson and President Trump's press secretary denied that the then-president-elect had directly requested this change, but various media reports have suggested that the move was directly or indirectly made by President Trump, The statement was attributed to a small number of members of the Caucus Freedom Caucus, who met with President Trump shortly before. Johnson's announcement. Members of the Freedom Caucus thought the chairman was insufficiently loyal to President Trump's plan and too bipartisan.
The Senate and House of Representatives Permanent Select Committees on Intelligence Officially established in the mid-1970s Following reports that the Central Intelligence Agency spied on Americans opposed to the Vietnam War and interfered in Chile's elections. The subsequent investigations and findings by the House and Senate Special Investigations Committees were so explosive that it became necessary for both chambers to establish their own permanent select intelligence committees (Senate in 1975, House of Representatives in 1977). agreed.
Under House rules, the Intel committee must include at least one member from each of the Appropriations, Military, Foreign Affairs, and Judiciary committees. The committee's portfolio spans the activities of the National Intelligence Agency, the CIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the intelligence-related activities of all other branches and agencies of the executive branch. ” — about 17 entities in total.
The current power struggle on the House Intelligence Committee has more than symbolic significance given the committee's central role in overseeing the intelligence community and coordinating funding levels. Additionally, the move sent a strong signal to other committees and their chairs that they should either take advantage of the Trump administration's inauguration or not.
The oversight and funding needed to ensure that Congress keeps a close eye on things and maintains a system of constitutional checks and balances, especially given President Trump's sometimes unique and changing priorities, especially in the area of foreign policy. Now more than ever, it is essential to carry out these functions. To be sure, the president expects full support for his plan from Republicans on the Hill, and party members, committee chairs, and leaders have pledged full support for his agenda to pass. There is.
If Congress fails to meet his demands, the president is expected to go around Congress again (as he did on his first day in office) with an executive order seeking retribution against those who have failed him.
Our constitutional system of separation of powers is written into law to ensure that no single branch of government becomes so domineering and dominant that it overshadows the other branches. That will be a major challenge facing Congress in the coming days and months.
Don Wolfensberger is a 28-year veteran of Congressional staff, culminating in 1995 as Chief of Staff on the House Rules Committee. His books include Parliament and the People: Deliberative Democracy in Courts (2000) and Cultural Change. Congress: From Fair Play to Power Play” (2018).
