Counterterrorism and Intelligence

The Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee is a specialized division of the House Committee on Homeland Security, created to handle a focused slice of the parent committee's broad national security jurisdiction. While the full Homeland Security Committee oversees all matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. security legislation, this subcommittee concentrates specifically on counterterrorism efforts and intelligence operations. The subcommittee maintains legislative oversight of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Protective Service, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, and the Office of Operations Coordination. Its work centers on evaluating DHS's effectiveness in identifying and deterring terrorist threats through intelligence collection and analysis, strengthening the Secret Service's protective and investigative missions, protecting federal facilities, and enhancing training and resources for law enforcement agencies. The subcommittee is chaired by Representative August Pfluger (R-TX), with Seth Magaziner (D-RI) serving as Ranking Member. Recent legislative activity reflects the subcommittee's priorities, including bills addressing drone counter-measures, terrorism risk assessments related to artificial intelligence, transnational repression, school security, and online radicalization. The subcommittee has also held hearings on counter-drone authorities and their application by state and local responders, examining gaps in legal frameworks for addressing unmanned aircraft threats.