The California conservative will be the first chairman of the panel responsible for overseeing the giant new Homeland Security Department that President Bush signed into law late last year.
The department, to combine such security-related agencies as the Customs Service, Secret Service, the Immigration and Naturalization Service and Coast Guard, is to take shape this year.
Cox, 50, was first elected to Congress in 1988 and has been the head of the House Republican Policy Committee since the Republicans captured control of the House in 1995.
In 1998, his party chose him to head a select committee to investigate China's alleged theft of U.S. nuclear and military technology and he has been one of the strongest critics in Congress of China's human rights record.
"Chris is an excellent candidate" to head the new committee, Hastert said. Homeland security "will be one of the largest issues before us" this year, the speaker said.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., will name the top Democrat on the "select" committee, which will differ from other "standing" committees in that it will focus on specific oversight or investigative functions.
The newly created Select Committee on Homeland Security is designed to coordinate the efforts between Congress and the federal agencies given the task of protecting America from future terrorist attacks.
The immediate focus of the Select Committee will be to work with the president to implement the new law. The Select Committee's oversight will be devoted to getting the new department up and running as quickly and efficiently as possible. The committee has exclusive legislative jurisdiction over all matters relating to the Homeland Security Act.
House Republicans were also choosing other committee chairmen Wednesday night, with most current chairmen retaining their jobs.
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