Testifying today before the Senate Intelligence Committee Attorney general Jeff Sessions denied any collusion between him and russian officials during the president ial campaign. He also answered questions about a private meeting in february with the president and then fbi director james comey. Senator richard burr of North Carolina chair is this two and a half hour hearing. And [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] i called the hearing to orderore please attorney general sessions, appreciate your willingness to appear before the committee today and thank you for your years of dedicated service as a member of this body and recent leadership at the department of justice. As i mentioned when the director appeared before us last week that his committees role is to be the eyes and ears for the other 85 members of the United States senate and the American People, ensuring that the Intelligence Community ishe operating lawfully and has the necessary tools to keep america safe.
Testifying today before the Senate Intelligence Committee Attorney general Jeff Sessions denied any collusion between him and russian officials during the president ial campaign. He also answered questions about a private meeting in february with the president and then fbi director james comey. Senator richard burr of North Carolina chair is this two and a half hour hearing. And [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] i called the hearing to orderore please attorney general sessions, appreciate your willingness to appear before the committee today and thank you for your years of dedicated service as a member of this body and recent leadership at the department of justice. As i mentioned when the director appeared before us last week that his committees role is to be the eyes and ears for the other 85 members of the United States senate and the American People, ensuring that the Intelligence Community ishe operating lawfully and has the necessary tools to keep america safe.
[indiscernible conversation] i call the hearing to order, please. Attorney general sessions, i appreciate your willingness to appear before the committee today. Thank you for your years of dedication. As i mentioned when director comey appeared before us last week, this committees role is to be the eyes in the ears of the other members of the United States senate. And sharing the Intelligence Community is operating lawfully. The community is a large and diverse place. We recognize the gravity of our 2016tigation into the elections but i remind our constituents that while we investigate russia, we are scrutinizing the cias budget while investigating russia, we are still investigating the budget and the 702 program, our nations subtly program and the entire effort to recruit and maintain the best talent we can. Conducts the committee its investigations behind closed doors. The sanctity of sources and methods is part of the ability to keep us safe. I said repeatedly i did not should doy c
It was also the first time the attorney general testified to Congress Since recusing himself of the russia investigation back in march. Id like to call the hearing to order, please. Attorney general sessions, i appreciate your willingness to appear before the committee today. And thank you for your years of dedicated services as a member of this body and your recent leadership as the department of justice. As i mentioned when director comey appeared before us last week, this committees role is to be the eyes and ears for the other 85 members of the United States senate and for the American People. Ensuring that the Intelligence Community is operating lawfully and has the necessary tools to keep america safe. The community is large and diverse. We recognize the gravity of our investigation into russias interference in the 2016 u. S. Elections. But i remind our constituents that while we investigate russia, we are scrutinizing cias budget while were investigating russia, we are still scr