HEARING ON PERSPECTIVES ON HOUSE REFORM: OCT 18.2004 HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON RULES OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION JULY 10, 2003 Serial No. 108-15 Printed for the use of the Select Committee on Homeland Security Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/house 95-872 PDF U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 95-872 D. 1 SELECT COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY Jennifer Dunn, Washington C.W. Bill Young, Florida Don Young, Alaska Christopher Cox, California, Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Wisconsin W.J. (Billy) Tauzin, Louisiana David Dreier, California Ernest J. Istook, Jr., Oklahoma Peter T. King, New York Kay Granger, Texas Jim Turner, Texas, Ranking Member Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts Benjamin L. Cardin, Maryland Louise McIntosh Slaughter, New York Nita M. Lowey, New York Robert E. Andrews, New Jersey Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of Columbia Zoe Lofgren, California Karen McCarthy, Missouri Sheila Jackson-Lee, Texas Bill Pascrell, Jr., New Jersey Donna M. Christensen, U.S. Virgin Islands Bob Etheridge, North Carolina Charles Gonzalez, Texas Ken Lucas, Kentucky James R. Langevin, Rhode Island Kendrick B. Meek, Florida The Honorable Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a Representative in Congress From the State of Florida, and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Rules The Honorable Christopher Cox, a Representative in Congress From the The Honorable David Dreier, a Representative From the State of California The Honorable Jennifer Dunn, a Representative From the State of Wash- The Honorable Louise McIntosh Slaughter, a Representative From the State The Honorable Jim Turner, a Representative from the State of Texas Dr. David King, Associate Professor of Public Policy, The Kennedy School Oral Testimony 38 Dr. James A. Therber, Professor and Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, School of Public Affairs, American University (III) HEARING ON PERSPECTIVES ON HOUSE REFORM: COMMITTEES AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH Thursday, July 10, 2003 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SELECT COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:35 a.m., in room 2247, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Lincoln Diaz-Balart [chairman of the subcommittee] presiding. Present: Representatives Diaz-Balart, Dunn, Dreier, Linder, Sessions, Slaughter, Thompson, McCarthy, Meek, Cox, Turner also, present Rogers of Kentucky. Mr. DIAZ-BALART. [Presiding.] I will go ahead and call the subcommittee to order. Good morning, everybody. On behalf of the Subcommittee on Rules of the Select Committee on Homeland Security, I am pleased to welcome a distinguished group of witnesses to this second in a series of hearings on homeland security and the House committee structure, and more generally to receive ideas and proposals from witnesses on ways to strengthen the effectiveness of the House of Representatives. It is my understanding that Secretary Schlesinger must leave, in an hour or so, so in hopes of getting to testimony and questions and answers, I will certainly keep my remarks brief. We would ask those colleagues who will be joining us to do so, as well. All of us recognize the importance of the committee system and the vital role that committees play in this institution. They are, in effect, mini-legislatures. Committees function as our centers of policy-making, oversight and education, through hearings, particularly, such as today's. A principal assignment of this subcommittee is to try to ensure as much as possible continued vigor and competence in the committee system, specifically as that system addresses homeland security issues. The subcommittee recognizes that the committee system interacts with and affects other important legislative functions and activities, such as scheduling in the work of conference committees, to help the subcommittee identify and sort through some of the key issues that confront the House. And to suggest possible proposals or recommendations for change, we are pleased to begin today's hearing with one of the most distinguished and experienced Federal officials, Dr. James (1) |