House Judiciary chief claims jurisdiction over NSA reform

The head of the House Judiciary Committee is asserting his panel’s jurisdiction over any legislation to reform surveillance programs at the National Security Agency (NSA) and elsewhere.

“This is the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee,” Rep Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) said. “Obviously the Intelligence Committee has an interest in how intelligence is gathered, but because of the civil liberties entailed that must be protected under our Bill of Rights, this is very clearly the jurisdiction of our committee,” he added.

Analysts have raised questions about which of the two panels would be given primary jurisdiction over the issue, a decision that could determine how far reform legislation will go. Rep Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), a member of the Judiciary Committee and fierce critic of the NSA programs, said he was “deeply concerned” about the decision. Rep Goodlatte declined to back any specific piece of legislation to rein in the NSA.