Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), chair of the House Intelligence subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, has called for a congressional investigation into the revelation that the CIA misled members of Congress during Intelligence Committee briefings. In a letter released Wednesday, CIA Director Leon Panetta revealed the fact that the CIA had been misleading Congress since 2001.

The Washington Post reported today that upon learning of a secret program the agency had hid from Congress, Panetta immediately canceled it and held a June 24 private meeting with members of the House and Senate intelligence committees.

In an interview with AP, Schakowsky said, "The program is a very, very serious program and certainly deserved a serious debate at the time and through the years ... But now it's over."

Schakowsky called for the investigation in a letter to Intelligence chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas):

Dear Chairman Reyes:

Over the course of the past eight years, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) leaders briefing the House Intelligence Committee have purposefully withheld information from Congress dealing with the national security of our country. The systematic deception by the CIA is a possible violation of the National Security Act and, at a minimum, a blatant disregard of this committee's oversight authority.
...
It is inexcusable for the CIA to lie, mislead, or withhold information from the Congress. The Intelligence Committee depends on the presentation of reliable and complete information when deliberating important decisions that impact the national security of the United States. Past practices of the CIA compromise the integrity of this committee and undermine the ability of committee members to fulfill our oversight obligations as members to the Select Committee. To ensure accountability and restore faith in the system, I strongly urge you to promptly launch an investigation into this critical matter.