Measure Urges Joint Committee on Intelligence

Legislation to replace the Senate and House intelligence committees with a joint panel was introduced Tuesday.

Sen. Dan Quayle (R-Ind.), offering the bill in the Senate, said that one of the “key causes” of the Iran- contra affair was the lack of trust between the executive and legislative branches of the government.

“Such a breakdown in trust is something we in Congress can and should address by modifying our own institutions,” Quayle said. “Establishment of a joint committee on intelligence oversight would go a long way toward depriving the executive of any serious excuse for not confiding in Congress.”

Quayle, who first proposed the change two years ago, said the joint committee of 10 members would be appointed by the leadership of the House and Senate and would have a small staff.

The Tower Commission, which on Thursday issued its report on the Iran affair, said that one committee with a staff of restricted size should replace the Senate and House intelligence panels.

The Administration has been criticized for keeping its sales of U.S. arms to Iran secret from Congress for 11 months.