Democrat Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi today made the surprise appointment of Iraq war opponent Silvestre Reyes as chairman of the US House of Representatives intelligence committee.
In choosing Mr Reyes, a former border patrol agent and Vietnam War veteran, Ms Pelosi skipped over two more senior Democrats.
The top-ranking Democrat on the panel, California Representative Jane Harman, has had strained relations with Ms Pelosi, and the next in line, Alcee Hastings of Florida, is a former federal judge who was ousted from that post after allegations of corruption.
Explaining the appointment which takes effect from January, Ms Pelosi said: "When tough questions are required, whether they relate to intelligence shortcomings before the 9/11 attacks or the war in Iraq, or to the quality of intelligence on Iran or North Korea, he does not hesitate to ask them."
Mr Reyes, a five-term congressman who won reelection in November, is expected to seek more information about the Bush administration's classified programs since the September 11 attacks to gather data on enemies inside and outside America.
The committee has oversight of US intelligence agencies, including the CIA, FBI, National Security Agency and Defence Intelligence Agency.