IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 383 
Establishing a select committee to review national security laws, policies, 
and practices. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 30, 2009 
Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Mr. WEXLER, and Mr. CONYERS) sub-
mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Rules 
RESOLUTION 
Establishing a select committee to review national security 
laws, policies, and practices. 
Whereas the Patriot Act gave the Government the authority 
to spy on and collect information about innocent Ameri-
cans; 
Whereas the National Security Agency spied on Americans 
for seven years without a warrant in violation of the For-
eign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the Fourth Amend-
ment; 
Whereas the FISA Amendments Act authorized the Govern-
ment to collect the content of communications coming 
into and out of the United States without an individual-
ized order and without any suspicion of wrongdoing; 
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Whereas Congress has amended our surveillance laws many 
times since the tragedy of September 11 yet has not re-
ceived meaningful information about how these new au-
thorities have been used; 
Whereas there is no public information about how any of 
these powerful surveillance tools are currently being used; 
Whereas the three provisions of the Patriot Act will be 
sunsetting on December 31, 2009, and Congress will 
need to review and amend the surveillance laws this year; 
Whereas the United States has Federal laws, including Fed-
eral criminal laws, that prohibit the torture, or cruel, in-
human, or degrading treatment of any person in the cus-
tody of, or under the control of, the Federal Government; 
Whereas in contravention of Federal laws against torture and 
abuse, and beginning as early as spring of 2002, the Fed-
eral Government began to use torture and abuse during 
the detention and interrogation of its detainees, and to 
transfer detainees to countries that historically have used 
torture and abuse during interrogation and detention; 
Whereas important decisions on the development and imple-
mentation of United States policy on interrogations and 
detention were made by top White House officials, includ-
ing presidential directives to set up CIA detention prac-
tices, attempting to bar the application of the protections 
of the Geneva Conventions to certain detainees, and 
former President George W. Bush’s public acknowledge-
ment that he knew his top advisors were meeting to plan 
and approve interrogations and that he ‘‘approved it’’; 
Whereas despite the deliberate efforts by top Government of-
ficials to hide the use of torture and abuse by barring the 
International Committee of the Red Cross from visiting 
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detainees held in a secret CIA prison network, destroying 
92 videotapes of interrogations, and refusing to provide, 
even to important standing committees of Congress, key 
legal memorandums that reportedly were written to try to 
justify torture and abuse, more than 100,000 pages of al-
ready released Government interrogation and detention 
documents show a deliberate and systematic program of 
Government-ordered torture and abuse; 
Whereas a select committee of the House of Representatives 
would bring together the expertise and oversight commit-
ment of the committees that have already worked count-
less hours to determine the truth of what happened; 
Whereas a select committee would be able to take a broad 
look at White House decisions and the role of many de-
partments and agencies, including contractors, in the in-
terrogation and detention practices, without having any 
jurisdictional limitations; and 
Whereas a select committee will bring members of the rel-
evant standing committees together with a dedicated staff 
to provide intensive investigation, oversight, and rec-
ommendation that cannot be accomplished by the com-
mittees of jurisdiction working piecemeal: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved, 
SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT. 
There is hereby established a select committee to re-
view national security laws, policies, and practices (herein-
after referred to as the ‘‘select committee’’). 
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SEC. 2. JURISDICTION; FUNCTIONS. 
(a) LEGISLATIVE JURISDICTION.—The select com-
mittee shall not have legislative jurisdiction and shall have 
no authority to take legislative action on any bill or resolu-
tion. 
(b) INVESTIGATIVE JURISDICTION.—The select com-
mittee shall study and make recommendations about the 
effectiveness of past and present United States law en-
forcement, national security and intelligence activities and 
the extent, if any, to which unlawful, improper or unau-
thorized activities were engaged in by or on behalf of any 
Federal, State, or local government official, including— 
(1) the effectiveness and efficiency of past and 
present law enforcement, and national security and 
intelligence policies, programs, and activities; 
(2) the development and implementation of poli-
cies or practices regarding the capture, detention, 
transfer, extra-judicial rendition, and treatment of 
individuals by United States Armed Forces, law en-
forcement and the United States intelligence com-
munity, including policies intended to conceal the 
fact that a person has been detained by, or at the 
direct request of, the United States; 
(3) the development and implementation of poli-
cies or practices regarding domestic surveillance ac-
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tivities, or the surveillance of United States persons 
abroad; 
(4) the adequacy of past and present congres-
sional oversight mechanisms and impediments to ac-
cess to information necessary to conduct proper 
oversight; and 
(5) such other related matters as the committee 
deems necessary to carry out its responsibilities. 
SEC. 3. COMPOSITION. 
The select committee shall be composed of 7 members 
appointed by the Speaker, of whom 3 shall be appointed 
upon the recommendation of the minority leader. The 
Speaker shall designate one member of the select com-
mittee as its chairman. A vacancy in the membership of 
the select committee shall be filled in the same manner 
as the original appointment. 
SEC. 4. PROCEDURE. 
(a) Rules X and XI of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives shall apply to the select committee where 
not inconsistent with this resolution. 
(b) The select committee is authorized to— 
(1) require by subpoena or otherwise the at-
tendance and testimony of any person (including at 
a taking of a deposition by counsel or consultant of 
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the committee), and the production of such things; 
and 
(2) adopt a rule regulating the taking of deposi-
tions by a member, counsel, or consultant of the 
committee, including pursuant to subpoena. 
SEC. 5. REPORTING. 
The select committee shall report to the House from 
time to time the results of its investigations and studies 
as it may deem advisable. At least one public report shall 
be filed with the House not later than December 31, 2009, 
and shall include legislative recommendations based on its 
findings. 
SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 
(a) EXPENSES.—There shall be paid out of the appli-
cable accounts of the House such sums as may be nec-
essary for the expenses of the select committee. Such pay-
ments shall be made on vouchers signed by the chairman 
of the select committee and approved in the manner di-
rected by the Committee on House Administration. 
Amounts made available under this subsection shall be ex-
pended in accordance with regulations prescribed by the 
Committee on House Administration. 
(b) STAFF AND TRAVEL.—In carrying out its func-
tions under this resolution, the select committee may— 
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