Harman to head subcommittee

WASHINGTON — Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice) was named Thursday to head the intelligence subcommittee of the Homeland Security Committee.

The appointment marks a comeback of sorts for Harman, who was passed over by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) for the top job on the Intelligence Committee, a post she had expected to get when the Democrats took power.

The Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment Subcommittee handles domestic intelligence issues, threat assessments and oversight of the Secret Service, among other issues.

“As we have seen in Britain, Spain and elsewhere, homegrown terror is increasing, not diminishing. Understanding and disrupting threats from homegrown terrorists and embedded cells will be central to the subcommittee’s agenda,” Harman said.

Harman will also serve on the Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism Subcommittee, headed by Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Santa Ana). That subcommittee has jurisdiction over implementation of the Safe Port Act, which Harman co-wrote with Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Gold River).