WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- A bipartisan group of senators Monday detailed a plan to implement the changes in congressional oversight proposed by the Sept. 11 commission.
"We have been told if we're able to do what we have set out here ... this will be the largest single congressional reform in the history of the country," Sen. Harry Reid D-Nev., told reporters.
Reid, the Democratic chief whip, and Assistant Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell R-Ky., are heading the task force of lawmakers charged with reforming congressional oversight of intelligence in line with the recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission. The plan creates a Homeland Security Committee to oversee the Department of Homeland Security by expanding the jurisdiction of the Government Affairs Committee. It would strengthen the Senate Intelligence Committee by reducing the number of members and abolishing current term limits. It also would create a new appropriations subcommittee to oversee intelligence spending.
But it would not implement the commission's most radical reform -- merging the appropriation and authorization function into a single intelligence committee.
McConnell said he expected that to be proposed as an amendment when the plan is debated on the Senate floor later this week.
