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Under a thick partisan overcast, the House International Relations Committee on Wednesday sidetracked a resolution calling for a congressional probe of the circumstances surrounding the public outing of a CIA agent whose husband had debunked a Bush administration claim that Iraq obtained uranium from Africa.

By a 24-22 margin, the GOP-controlled committee voted along straight party lines to report the resolution adversely to the House. In effect, such votes quash any chance that a measure like this would ever be taken up or, in this case, that a prompt election-year congressional inquiry into this case would be launched.

In thwarting the Democrats' proposal to embark on the investigation, International Relations Chairman Henry Hyde, R-Ill., insisted that an ongoing grand jury inquiry could be compromised by a parallel congressional probe.

"It would be irresponsible for this committee to allow [the resolution] to jeopardize an ongoing criminal investigation by the Department of Justice," Hyde said. "That is a matter best left to the grand jury."

The grand jury's inquiry is being managed by federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald of Chicago. Committee Democrats, led by Rep. Howard Berman of California, argued in vain that the existence of criminal proceedings had rarely deterred House Republicans when former President Clinton was in office. He cited several instances when the House Government Reform and Judiciary committees initiated probes of Clinton policies and activities even while special prosecutors were looking at the same cases.

Several Democrats also contended that Congress had an obligation to investigate what they called a serious threat to the safety of intelligence operatives and the security of the country when agents' identities are revealed.

"A congressional investigation would not impair the grand jury," Berman said. "This branch of government is not a potted plant that should sit back and wait for years and years to get the information it needs to safeguard our security."

Two other committees in the House -- Intelligence and Judiciary -- have likewise voted to sidetrack the resolution sponsored by Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J. The Judiciary Committee on Wednesday voted 17-8 to report the measure adversely, as did the Intelligence Committee by a 10-3 margin when it met Jan. 28. The House Armed Services Committee plans to take up the measure on Wednesday, with the panel's Republican majority assuring the same outcome.

The dispute arose last year after a newspaper columnist published the agent's name, Valerie Plame, prompting charges that she was compromised in retaliation for a report by her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson IV, indicating that the White House had falsely maintained that Iraq had purchased uranium from Africa for use in making nuclear weapons.

COMMENTS

• I too was a Republican, that is until Reagan's second trip to the White House. Since then I've been an Independent who usually votes Democrat. As far as this outing of a CIA Agent, this is something that Bush the Elder said "is nothing more than treason." So why isn't he speaking up? As for Hyde and his bunch, I do believe that if they could they would blame the last ELECTED PRESIDENT William Jefferson Clinton. And for the record yes he lied, and boy did he ever. How dare helie to the American people about something that is none of anybody's business except Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Clinton and of course the heroine of this whole charade, Monica. So let's not compare apples to oranges and find out who did this. Wally Posted February 29, 2004 8:41 AM
• To assess the actions of these Republican (actually, THESE hacks give real republicans a bad name) criminals as clueless or ignorant or misguided is naive. They are blatantly hypocritical and acting in NO way according to their oaths to uphold the Constitution and the democracy they (fail to) represent. The disgusting display of partisan attack-dog politics they showed during Clinton's two terms are the same tactics and phoniness that they display now. That the American people do not express more outrage at them is amazing! Henry Hyde, with his two-faced indignation and concern, mocks us and the process of good government. Checks and balances aren't in place (supposing they still are) only for the Right Wing. God help us if we don't step up for our own country. GovExec.com reader Posted February 28, 2004 7:26 AM
• If we are really at war, then whoever it was in the White House that provided the name of an undercover agent is guilty of treason. During time of war outing a covert government agent is punishable by death. Why would our president want to have a known traitor in his inner circle? If that person is not guilty of treason, we are not at war. The president keeps saying we are at war but Congress has not declared it to be so. Only Congress can declare war. Now we come full circle, Bush did not live up to his oath as a pilot in the NG and now he has a traitor in his office and he is obviously protecting him. GovExec.com reader Posted February 27, 2004 7:21 AM