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Swalwell Named Chairman of House Intelligence Subcommittee

February 6, 2019

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-15) on Wednesday was named chair of the Intelligence Modernization and Readiness Subcommittee of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

The subcommittee was created as part of a complete reorganization of the committee's structure for this 116th Congress, so that subcommittees will be more focused on the Intelligence Community's core missions than specific agencies.

The Intelligence Modernization and Readiness Subcommittee will oversee overall management of the Intelligence Community: the policies and programs focused on making sure that all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies have the workforce, infrastructure and services they need to succeed. This involves fostering greater collaboration and better use of resources across the entire Intelligence Community in personnel management, security clearance reform, information technology modernization, and other areas.

"Keeping our nation safe is Congress' most sacred responsibility, and I'm honored to chair a subcommittee that will help advance our Intelligence Community's staffing, training, and technology to the highest, most modern standards," Swalwell said. "We need a diverse Intelligence Community workforce that looks like America and understands the threats we face from all parts of the world. We must ensure that the national crisis of student loan debt isn't leaving the hard-working men and women of our intelligence agencies in financial quicksand and anxiety that diverts their focus from our safety, and that means looking at loan forgiveness in exchange for their service to America.

"And I'm particularly eager to help lead the long-overdue conversation on reforming our security clearance procedures. We must expedite processing to get clearances in the hands of the right people, and we must conduct oversight when the President has put them in the hands of the wrong people."

Swalwell, 38, is serving his fourth term representing California's 15th Congressional District, and his third as a member of the House Intelligence Committee. He is also co-chair of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, and a member of the House Committee on the Judiciary.