Schiff Named Top Democrat on Intelligence Panel
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday that California Democrat Adam B. Schiff will be the next ranking member on the Intelligence Committee, Roll Call reports.
“As a senior member of the Intelligence Committee, Congressman Schiff has been a vital voice on the most pressing national security challenges of our time, including counter terrorism efforts and challenges in the Middle East,” Pelosi said in a statement. “He has proven himself to be a capable leader and a proponent of surveillance reforms.”
Pelosi said Schiff who has previously served on the Foreign Affairs Committee, the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Committee and the Intelligence panel — had “impeccable national security credentials.”
Schiff, who has been on the Intelligence panel since 2008, is widely seen as a more critical watchdog of the National Security Agency. The former ranking Democrat, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, was a staunch supporter of the NSA, which has its headquarters in his Maryland district.