Pelosi taps Reyes to head intelligence committee

by nukegingrich | December 1, 2006 at 12:01 pm

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• Rep. Silvestre Reyes will head the House intelligence committee, aides say
• The Texas congressman is a former border patrol agent and helicopter gunner
• Democratic leaders are informing political and government leaders of the pick
• Reyes has said the GOP rubber stamps President Bush's classified programs

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi has chosen a Border Patrol agent-turned-congressman to lead the House intelligence committee, ending weeks of Democratic debate about who will oversee the nation's spy agencies.

Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, takes over the key post next year, as his party tries to intensify oversight of the intelligence community. Critics say Republicans failed to do that, leading to faulty prewar intelligence on Iraq and other stumbles.

"When tough questions are required -- whether they relate to intelligence shortcomings before the 9/11 attacks or the war in Iraq, or to the quality of intelligence on Iran or North Korea -- he does not hesitate to ask them," Pelosi, D-California, said in a statement announcing her choice of Reyes.