Intelligence and Special Operations

The Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations is a specialized panel of the House Armed Services Committee that focuses on a narrow but critical slice of defense policy. While the full Armed Services Committee oversees all military matters, this subcommittee concentrates specifically on Department of Defense intelligence operations, special operations forces, and related national security activities. The subcommittee prepares detailed reviews and holds initial hearings on these sensitive topics before any legislation moves to the full committee for a vote.

The subcommittee has jurisdiction over military intelligence programs, national intelligence activities, counterterrorism operations, counter-proliferation efforts, weapons of mass destruction policy, cyber operations, information operations, and special operations forces. It also oversees strategic communications and other sensitive military activities that fall outside the scope of conventional warfare. This specialized focus exists because intelligence and special operations require distinct expertise and oversight separate from traditional military readiness or weapons procurement.

The subcommittee is chaired by Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), with Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) serving as Ranking Member. The 16-member panel includes nine Republicans and seven Democrats. Recent subcommittee activity includes a May 2025 hearing on the Defense Intelligence Enterprise Posture and a February 2026 hearing on the role of special operations in great power competition, reflecting the panel's focus on how the U.S. intelligence and special operations communities adapt to emerging threats from major adversaries.