A Kansas congressman is offering a plan that would bring oversight of homeland security issues in the House to a single committee.

Rep. Jim Ryun, a Republican who represents Kansas’ 2nd Congressional District, forwarded his plan Wednesday during a meeting of the House Armed Services Committee. The group was considering President Bush’s plan to create the Cabinet-level Homeland Security Department.

“Currently in the House, at least 14 full committees and 25 subcommittees claim jurisdiction over some function of homeland security,” Ryun said. “As a result, our oversight of this critical issue is disjointed and inefficient. The consolidation of legislative and oversight authority is critical to the success of the new department.”

Ryun’s plan is the first specific proposal on homeland security oversight to be offered in the House.