House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz wrote a letter demanding more information from the NSA on the surveillance. | AP Photo Chaffetz demands details from NSA on monitoring of lawmakers

The House Oversight Committee is requesting that the National Security Agency provide briefings and information concerning the disclosure that the intelligence agency monitored conversations between members of Congress and Israeli government officials.

Citing a Wall Street Journal report that revealed lawmakers' communications were monitored by the Obama administration's intelligence apparatus, House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) wrote to NSA Director Michael Rogers on Wednesday requesting more information on how the administration determined which communications to collect and how much "latitude" the NSA has in deciding which communications to oversee.


In the letter to Rogers, Chaffetz requests "all guidance ... governing the process NSA follows in determining whether it has intercepted communications involving the United States Congress, and in screening communications determined to involve the United States Congress" for distribution to government officials and employees. Chaffetz asked for the documents by Jan. 13 and a briefing for Oversight staffers by Jan. 15.

Chaffetz's request follows Wednesday's announcement by House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) that his panel will look into the matter. In a statement later Wednesday, Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said "allegations of wrongdoing" from sources like the Wall Street Journal are taken "seriously."

The Journal reported on Tuesday that the NSA had monitored communications between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and lawmakers during the Iran nuclear deal negotiations, which Netanyahu steadfastedly opposed and attempted to torpedo with an address to Congress this year. A congressional vote to scuttle the deal failed in September as lawmakers failed to secure a veto-proof majority needed to halt the accord.

