Dems Move to Add Probe Power to House Armed ServicesLike cowbell was to the Blue Oyster Cult, Dems know exactly what Congress needs: more oversight.
In the Democrat-controlled 110th Congress, the House Armed Services Committee wants to add a new subcommittee devoted to oversight and investigations.
Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO), who will be chairman of the Armed Services Committee, has formally asked Nancy Pelosi to approve the creation of the subcommittee, according to a spokeswoman. The panel was abolished by Republicans in 1995 soon after they took control of Congress.
Rep. Martin Meehan (D-MA), a senior member of the Armed Services Comittee, has said he wants to chair the new Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. In a Nov. 8 memo to Skelton (you can read the document here), Meehan said his focus would be on probing funding levels for warfighting equipment, contracting abuses by private corporations, and military readiness.
