Thepublic should be allowed to request records belonging to the National SecurityCouncil like they do for other agencies, according to one Republican lawmaker.

Rep.Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., has introduced an amendment to the House's National Defense Authorization Actfor fiscal 2017 that would make all National Security Council records createdafter the bill is passed subject to a Freedom of Information Act request, inthe latest attack against the advisory board that critics say has grown toolarge.

TheNational Security Council responded to FOIA requests under previousadministrations up until 1996, when a court case exempted the advisory boardfrom participation in the transparency program.

"Theincreasing micromanagement from the White House directly reduces the amount ofoversight that Congress can have and undermines the authority of the Departmentof Defense," Walorski said in a statement when she previously introducedthe plan as a standalone bill. "This legislation is critical for this andfuture administrations and serves as a public reminder that presidents cannotavoid public scrutiny or accountability by consolidating authority in the WhiteHouse."

Theamendment will be debated when the bill, which passed committee in April,reaches the full House floor this month.

Rep.Mac Thornberry, R-Texas and chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, istrying to cap the size of the president's advisory council "wellbelow the current 400," staff told reporters last month. If it increasesbeyond that size, it would lose its distinction as an advisory body and becomesubject to congressional oversight, including approval of its leader bylawmakers, under his proposal.

Themove is in response to criticisms that the large advisory board micromanagesthe military and Pentagon.

TheWhite House pushed back against the plan to cut staff, saying that themove would reduce the NSC staff to less than the number of aides on the SenateArmed Services Committee and hamper the next administration's ability to form aforeign policy team.

"Apparently,these lawmakers feel that they should have more national security staffers thanthe president of the United States," a senior administration official toldthe Washington Examiner.

Sen. JohnMcCain, R-Ariz., said last month that the Senate bill will likely also include aprovision to cap the size of the National Security Council.

To view fullarticle, click here: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/lawmaker-nsc-should-be-subject-to-foia-requests/article/2590766