intelligence community (IC). The SASC, however, retained juris-
diction over tactical intelligence with military applications.
By the time Arizona senator Barry Goldwater became chairman of
the committee in 1985, the committee’s work was well on its way to
being sidelined by the momentous changes taking place in world pol-
itics. The Ronald Reagandefense buildup, for example, began to
wane, and a long period of real decline in the defense budget began.
However, Senator Goldwater was instrumental in putting together a
bill to reorganize America’s defense establishment. Congress passed
the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986over the opposition of the Pen-
tagon and the secretary of defense. Today, the committee is an im-
portant arbiter of national security policy, especially since the ter-
rorist attacks of 11 September 2001. See alsoHOUSE ARMED
SERVICES COMMITTEE.SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE (SFRC).The Sen-
ate Foreign Relations Committee was established in 1816 as one of the
original 10 standing committees of the Senate. Throughout its history,
the committee has been instrumental in developing and influencing
United States foreign policy. The committee has considered, debated,
and reported important treaties and legislation, ranging from the pur-
chase of Alaska in 1867 to the establishment of the United Nations in- It also holds jurisdiction over all diplomatic nominations.
Through these powers, the committee has helped shape foreign pol-
icy of broad significance, such as in matters of war and peace and in-
ternational relations. Members of the committee have assisted in the
negotiation of treaties and at times have helped to defeat treaties they
felt were not in the national interest. The SFRC was instrumental in the
rejection of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 and 1920, and in the pas-
sage of the Truman Doctrinein 1947 and the Marshall Plan in 1948.
For much of the Cold War, the SFRC experienced a bipartisan
spirit. However, the state of almost constant crisis spawned by the
ideological conflict with the Soviet Unionresulted in the vast ex-
pansion of presidential authority over foreign policy. Since the 1960s,
the committee has sought to redress this imbalance of powers.
The SFRC has had only limited jurisdiction over intelligence mat-
ters. During the Cold War, the committee exercised intelligence ju-
risdiction only as it affected American foreign relations. The com-
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