The committee will have particular importance in the months to come, as the international community investigates last week’s terrorist attacks on a satirical magazine and a kosher deli in Paris.
“The recent terrorist attack in Paris, France, is a stark and tragic reminder of the constant threat America and our allies face from extremists bent on our destruction,” Boehner said in a statement announcing the GOP appointments to the committee. “ It also gives us pause to recognize the incredible challenges our intelligence community faces in its efforts to keep Americans safe.”
He said the committee will be tasked with ensuring the intelligence community has the appropriate resources to do their job.
Turner, already a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, will be the only member of Congress to serve as a subcommittee chairman for that committee as well as a member of the House Intelligence panel. The appointment, Turner said, “grants me significant oversight jurisdiction over the Department of Defense and the United States intelligence community.”
“This intelligence committee designation will give me access to the highest levels of intelligence,” he said.
Among the agencies the committee oversees is the National Air and Space Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Turner said the designation will help him eye potential opportunities for future intelligence opportunities at Wright-Patt. Wenstrup, a surgeon who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, said the committee will monitor everything from the rise of ISIS to cybercrimes.
“Our national security depends on critical threat assessments to disrupt and stop those seeking us harm,” he said. “This committee’s work plays an integral role in keeping our nation and our people safe.”
Staff Writer Jim Otte contributed to this report.
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