California legislator tapped to lead key homeland security subpanel

Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee picked their subcommittee chairmen Thursday, giving Jane Harman one of the top slots.

In a bitter fight that lasted for weeks after Democrats won control of Congress in the November election, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., refused to let Harman, D-Calif., chair the Intelligence Committee, even though Harman previously had served as the ranking Democrat.

Now Harman has been picked to chair the Homeland Security Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment Subcommittee, which oversees domestic intelligence issues, government information-sharing, threat and vulnerability assessments, and the Secret Service. Harman served on Homeland Security Committee during the last Congress.

"I'm delighted to be chairing a subcommittee that is so vital to securing the homeland," Harman said. "As we have seen in Britain, Spain and elsewhere, homegrown terror is increasing, not diminishing. Understanding and disrupting threats from homegrown terrorists and embedded cells will be central to the subcommittee's agenda."

She said another one of her priorities will be strengthening information-sharing between the Homeland Security Department and state and local agencies.

In addition to Harman, the other subcommittee chairmen include: Christopher Carney of Pennsylvania for Management, Investigations and Oversight; Henry Cuellar of Texas for Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response; James Langevin of Rhode Island for Emerging Threats, Cyber Security and Science and Technology; Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas for Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection; and Loretta Sanchez of California for Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism.

Langevin, Lee and Sanchez all served on the committee during the last Congress. Cuellar is new to the committee and was first elected to Congress in 2004. He said on his Web site he was honored to serve on the Homeland Security Committee and identified border security as one of his top priorities.

"As a lifelong resident of the border, I'm ready for this assignment, and I will work to improve the safety of all Americans regardless of where they may live," he said. "I look forward to working with my new committee colleagues on legislation that balances security concerns with both trade and civil rights."

Carney is a freshman, but he brings experience to the committee as a lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve and a former Pentagon senior adviser on intelligence and counter terrorism.

"As someone who has been deeply involved in the war on terror, Chris knows the danger our nation faces," Carney's Web site said. "Therefore, he is utterly committed to the ongoing support of police, fire and medical emergency personnel who are on the real front line. In addition, we must allocate further resources for the protection of power plants, ports, harbors and refineries from terrorist attacks."

Under House rules, the selection of each chairman is subject to approval by the House Democratic Caucus.