Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., as been assigned as a member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence in the new Congress.
The Tea Party favorite will join the panel just as calls are ramping up efforts to investigate the extent to which Russia interfered with the November election.
“Protecting the safety and security of our fellow citizens is the preeminent function of government,” Gowdy said. “When it comes to our national security, we cannot afford to take risks.”
“The House Intelligence Committee plays a vital role in protecting Americans both at home and abroad through conducting thorough oversight of our nation’s intelligence agencies,” he added. “I look forward to joining the House Intelligence Committee and working with Chairman Nunes and my colleagues to ensure national security remains the top priority in the 115th Congress.”
Gowdy noted that his assignment to the committee marks the first time a lawmaker from South Carolina has been on the panel.
Gowdy chaired the House Select Committee on Benghazi, which was tasked with investigating the 2012 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya that led to the death of four Americans.
