House speaker backs permanent Homeland Security committee
But several committee chairmen vehemently oppose creating the permanent panel.
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Christopher Cox, R-Calif., said Friday that he received a key endorsement from Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., Thursday night to make his temporary select panel a permanent standing committee next year.
Hastert's backing prompted House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton, R-Texas, earlier Friday to inform his rank-and-file committee members that it would gain such stature "over his dead body," according a congressional source.
Cox reportedly has assured Energy and Commerce members that he will not lobby to take away any of their committee's current areas of jurisdiction, but Cox added that he would oppose any move by Barton to expand his jurisdiction to cover homeland security issues.
Barton, along with the seven other committee chairmen who sit on Cox's committee, have opposed giving the homeland security committee permanent standing. They vehemently oppose giving up any turf, so a big fight looms in January over the areas of responsibility of the Homeland Security committee.
Cox Friday also picked up support from some families of 9/11 victims.
"While we endorse a permanent Homeland Security Committee, we also feel it is essential that it has the legislative and oversight jurisdiction it needs to carry forth a strong homeland security agenda in the years ahead," the families said in a statement.