Americas Cable Television company as a Public Service and brought to today by your television provider. The Senate Intelligence committee met to consider the nomination of Christopher Miller to be the director of the National Counterterrorism center in peter to be the general counsel to the office of the director of National Intelligence. The two nominees were asked about Russian Election interference, interrogation tactics, the fisa application process and whistleblower protections. They were also questioned related to the recent deployment of federal Law Enforcement agents in u. S. Cities experiencing ongoing protests. [silence] the goal for this hearing is to enable this committee to have a thoughtful and deliberate consideration of your qualifications to the position that you respectively have been nominated to fill. The witnesses have provided written response from the committee and its members which you all will have in this morning the members will be able to ask any additional questions and hear directly from the nominees. Mr. Miller graduated from George Washington university in commission as an infantry officer in 1987, he has a masters in National Security studies from the Naval War College and also graduated at the Community Staff and army war college. His military career as an enlisted infantryman in the army reserve in 1983 and served in the district of Columbia National guard. In 1993 christopher transferred to special forces and served for the fifth special forces group and participated in combat operations and iraq and retiring from the army in 2014 he worked as a defense contractor before serving as a special assistant to the president and senior director counterterrorism and transnational threats at the National Security council, he currently serves as the Deputy Defense for special operations and for combating terrorism. He graduated and received his degree from stanford in 2010, hes the United States court of appeals for the 11th circuit, then he entered private practice for several years before joining the u. S. Department of justice for assistant u. S. Attorney for the seventh district of california. During this time patrick served multiple roles here in washington to include the time with d. O. J. , he served in multiple rolls in washington to include the Department Director of counter transnational organized crime, he currently served as the associate deputy general of jeffrey rosen. You have been asked to lead the odeon eyes office of general counsel respectively at a time when we are engaged in a debate in a robust debate about the Intelligence Community and our collection tools and authority, at the same time the nation continues to confront a growing array of threats from state and nonstate actors this will require judgment, wisdom, integrity and i expect they will both provide counsel and advice to the director of National Intelligence as he takes on these complex and divisive challenges. The satisfaction of this Committee Oversight mandate will require transparency and responsiveness from your respective offices should be confirmed. With both of them prior to the hearing. Congratulations on your respective nominations to serve as director of the National Counterterrorism cente center ad general counsel for the office of the dni. Both these positions are important in the Intelligence Committee. During the time of unprecedented National Challenge and peril. The National Counterterrorism center [inaudible] i apologize. The Counterterrorism Center was created to prevent these kind of efforts into the meetings which created in the wake of 9 11 to connect the dots and ensure they never enter our soil. The odni general counsel is critical to ensure that the laws but the Intelligence Community abide by the laws of this country including protecting American Civil Liberties and privacy interests. The job of americas Intelligence Committee is to uncover and anticipate the right and to provide more to the nation. The community is first and foremost in americas eyes and ears and you just as all of the professional men and women are mandated to be nonpolitical and speak truth to power making those difficult calls based not on what those in power wish to hear, but on the facts. Unfortunately, under this president , the men and women of the Intelligence Committee have increasingly come under attack not only from abroad but without justification. From within the leadership of our very own government. Those whove had to do with all americans expected of them, simply to tell the truth, similarly dismissed, disparaged on twitter. Because this president is often finds the truth on welcome, hes fired the acting dni, the deputy, deputy dni, nic Inspector General, acting director, a 40 year intelligence dismissed as the acting jeni. In terms of british also volunteered to do dangerous jobs including those every day around the world countrys leaders have their backs. Instead, theyve been subject to disrespect. For a significant pure go of this here, there wasnt a single Senate Confirmed senior official at the office of the dni. This alarms me and it should alarm the american public. The leadership roles youve agreed to undertake are challenging under the best of circumstances. Mr. Miller, the adversaries have not simply disappeared, though we know plots continue every day. American men and women deployed in syria, iraq, afghanistan and elsewhere and some never made it back to their families. I look forward to hearing from you today about your thoughts on how to confront the evil thing and increasingly sophisticated threats from isis and other organizations. But you will take on in this world and how you will define success. Id like to hear what you think about the role of the ncp seat in confronting these threats and how you plan to make sure the center is sufficiently resourced to carry out its job. The general counsel advises the dni on the letter and spirit of the law including the legal mandate to keep Intelligence Committees fully and currently informed and to ensure that Civil Liberties. But as we saw with ukraine whistleblowers come of those who complied with obligations to inform congress have consequences. I expect to engage with you today on your perspective of what whistleblowers and in particular, your perspective on the involvement of the office of Legal Counsel at the department of justice. Unfortunately, because of how this administration has approached the already difficult responsibilities will be even more challenging. In addition to asking how you will undertake these responsibilities today, i also wish to hear how you will stand up to political pressure, how you will ensure that it is a political and fear or favor, how you were reassured for workforce that you will not face the consequences for simply doing the job and how you will make sure that this committee is fully and currently informed. Former dni dan coats, former member of this committee set a high bar for telling truth to power. Even in public for which he was eventually fired. I want to understand how you plan to live up to this example. Thank you again for agreeing to take up these positions and i look forward to todays hearing. Thank you mr. Chairman. I understand the Senate Senator grassley is here to speak. Senator grassley, please proceed. Thank you very much, mr. Chairman and mr. Vice chairman for the opportunity to introduce to the committee in native of my home state of iowa, mr. Christopher weller. I congratulate both of the nominees for their appointment. It is not everyday that an ilm with such a distinguished Service Record comes before the senate for consideration. So it is a special privilege for me to give this introduction. Chriss parents and much of his family still live in iowa city and or eastern iowa. Im sure his family is very proud you will be testifying before this committee today into the recognized a process of publishing the surface to the country. Chris was raised in iowa city after graduating from City High School he attended North Washington university, where he majored in history and enrolled in the rotc program. He graduated from George Washington in 1987, and then immediately accepted a commission in the u. S. Army as an infantry officer. In the army, chris had an impressive and distinguished career. He served in afghanistan in 2001 and iraq in 2003, and in the following years like a lot of other military people, he served on the numerous additional deployments to both of those countries. On behalf of the people of iowa, we thank you in other people for your service to the country particularly in those difficult times. Following his time in the army, chris went on to become Deputy Assistant secretary defense for special operations and combating terror to some, where he is currently performing the duties of the assistant secretary of defense for special operations. Whether as a member of the armed forces or Public Service, chris has given the best of himself for the American People in defense of the country. Of course, that it should be no surprise to. After all, hes got iowa roots. Im certain that this committee will find him a proper give him a proper review of his record in the service and how that fits into his new position. I believe he is fully qualified being nominated now to be the director of the National CounterintelligenceCounterterrorism Center and also the director of National Intelligence. So, now it is again my pleasure to introduce to this committee mr. Christopher miller. Congratulations. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Before we begin, would you please stand and raise your right hand . To do solemnly swear to give the committee the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you god . Think you. Please be seated. Gentlemen, before we move to your statements, i want to ask you to answer the five standard questions that we ask of every nominee that appears before us. They generally require a simple yes or no answer. We need to hear it so it can be transcribed. First question to you appear to agree to appear here and many other venues when invited . Yes. Is confirmed, youve agreed to send officials from your office to appear before the committee and designated staff when invited. Yes. Do you agree to provide documents or other materials in order for it to carry out with oversight and legislative responsibilities . Yes. Will you ensure your office and staff provide such materials for the staff when requested . Yes. Do you agree in full extent possible all members of the committee of intelligence activities and covert actions to the chairman and vice chairman . Yes. Thank you. We will now proceed to the Opening Statements after which i will recognize members. I believe we will go by order of seniority today. I understand you are going to go first, to the floor is yours. Thank you, senator. Thank you, senator. I want to highlight what a thrill it was for senator grassley to make those opening comments. I got my folks have cspan2 up. I was a little bit worried that im sure my sister helped them out. My uncle floyd and by aunt arlene i know are spiraling down as they were supporters of senator grassley. When i was 14yearsold, i went to an event at their farm and i will admit that i did not hear his remarks on the defensive line with my bb gun but this obviously special. Senator warner, with highest regards when people ask me where im from, i proudly say that im from iowa. Words cant describe how honored i am an overworked senator grassley has done distinguished members of the committee, thank you for taking the time to consider my nomination to be the director of the National Counterterrorism center. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you. It is both humbling and surreal to see before you today as the president s nominee for this position. I am grateful to have the support and confidence of the president of trump and the director of National Intelligence radcliffe. Along with the overwhelming privilege to lead and commanded americas sons and daughters in combat as an Army Special Forces officer and considered for this position it is in honor of my professional life. When al qaeda declared war in the United States 1997 september the 11th, 2001 i like many of my generations answer the call to fight. It wasnt a war that we thought that the defense of this nation as we sacrificed our youth. Many dear friends and comrades also sacrificed their health, their marriages and in some cases their lives. We have no regrets. The war has been long. Our efforts have been remarkably successful. The commitment of tens of thousands of professionals has taken the fight to the enemy, protected the United States and developed a Global Network of partnerships that prevented another cataclysmic attack. When we set out on this journey, we envisioned the campaign against violent extremist organizations and the generational war. It would be in my view at the height of the responsibility to lead this conflict for our children to fight. It is my lifes goal whether confirmed for this position or another capacity to defeat al qaeda and its affiliates, to transition the war to a sustainable effort where it is focus on monitoring the terrorist threats in the United States, attacking those with the ability to. And expanding relationships with likeminded partners around the world who are committed to the scourge to peaceful coexistence. I still see myself in the kids of iowa who wants nothing more than to serve the country and think their parents proud. My father believed strongly in the mobility o of public servic, and i try everyday to follow in his footsteps. In addition to my mothers wisdom, an example of citizenship, that is what my sister and i aspire to emulate in our lives. Most importantly, i want to recognize my wife and our three children were here with me today. Kate stood with me through this 32 year odyssey and raised over three children into magnificent apple put. Their character optimistic to the future and motivation to tht give me hope and continue greatness in this United States of america. If confirmed by the lead of the patriotic men and women of the National Counterterrorism center with honor and integrity, advocate for the requirements of the counterterrorism enterprise and provide frank, honest opinions and advice to the president of the dni, this committee and other policy makers and leaders in order to guarantee that we never again experience the indescribable loss of september 11, 2001. Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, thank you for your leadership in protecting the United States. I look forward to responding to the questions. Thank you. Acting chairman rubio, vice chairman warner and distinguished members of the committee, thank you for taking the time this morning to consider my nomination to serve as the general counsel for the office of the director of National Intelligence. I am honored to appear before today. I also extend my thanks to the president for the opportunity to serve in the director radford for his confidence in me to my current pulses, attorney general this room isnt great. Could we turn your volume up a little bit . And maybe you can bring your microphone of a closer. Thank you so much. We are all kind of getting used to this. At my currenas my current boy general tovar and Deputy Attorney general jeff rosen for their support throughout the nomination process. Acting chairman rubio and vice chairman warner, i am a first generation american and a proud civil servant. My background and experiences that shape who i am today and have compelled me to put my hand up when called upon to serve. This great country of ours has given me everything. My parents hovakimiam came to this area and built a life and raised two boys and instilled in me a deep appreciation of the freedom and rights the country provides. And in equally strong need to serve. Without their love and support, i simply wouldnt be here today. I think my mom who is watching from home, my dad, who i know is watching from above, my entire extended family and the many Close Friends from back home in california and those from later in life who have supported me and left beside me through the years. Ive bee