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Washington, D.C. – Today Congressman Mike Turner (R-OH), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), held a full committee open panel with respected leaders of the nation’s think tank community. HPSCI Members and think tank leaders discussed the Intelligence Community and Intelligence Committee reform in the 118th Congress. Joining the panel were President and CEO of the Atlantic Council Mr. Frederick Kempe, President and CEO of the Hudson Institute Mr. John P. Walters, President of the Council on Foreign Relations Dr. Richard Haass, President and CEO of the RAND Corporation Dr. Jason Matheny, and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Professor of Political Science at Stanford University Dr. Amy Zegart.

This is the the second installment in a series of public forums that Chairman Turner has scheduled for HPSCI prior to the traditional World Wide Threats hearing in March. A recording of today’s panel is available here.

The following is Chairman Turner’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ALL OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE, AND THOSE VIEWING THE BROADCAST, TO THE SECOND OPEN PANEL HELD BY THE HOUSE PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE IN THE 118TH CONGRESS.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR PANELISTS FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN TODAY’S PANEL. 

THIS EVENT IS THE SECOND IN A SERIES OF OPEN PANELS HSPCI WILL CONDUCT THIS CONGRESS TO INFORM OUR AGENDA FOR THE NEW CONGRESS AND INCLUDES WELL-KNOWN LEADERS FROM THE THINK TANK COMMUNITY.

FRED KEMPE IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL. BEFORE JOINING THE COUNCIL, FRED WAS A PRIZE WINNING EDITOR AND REPORTER AT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL FOR OVER TWENTY-YEARS.

JOHN WALTERS IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HUDSON INSTITUTE. JOHN HAS SERVED IN SEVERAL PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATIONS, MOST NOTABLY AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY IN THE GEORGE W. BUSH ADMINISTRATION. 

DR. RICHARD HAASS IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS. DR. HAASS IS A VETERAN DIPLOMAT, HAVING EARNED THE RANK OF AMBASSADOR AND SERVED AS THE U.S. COORDINATOR FOR POLICY TOWARD THE FUTURE OF AFGHANISTAN AND U.S. ENVOY TO THE NOTHERN IRELAND PEACE PROCESS.

DR. JASON MATHENY IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE RAND CORPORATION. BEFORE JOINING RAND, DR. MATHENY LED WHITE HOUSE POLICY ON TECHNOLOGY AND SECURITY AT THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL AND PREVIOUSLY, AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE INTELLIGENCE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS ACTIVITY.

LASTLY, DR. AMY ZEGART IS A SENIOR FELLOW AT THE HOOVER INSTITUTION. SHE ALSO SERVES AS CHAIR OF STANFORD’S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY STEERING COMMITTEE, A CONTRIBUTING WRITER AT THE ATLANTIC AND SPECIALIZES IN U.S. INTELLIGENCE AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

AS WE MEET TODAY, THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES TO FACE UNPRECEDENTED STRATEGIC THREATS FROM OUR ADVESARIES. THEY ARE INVESTING HEAVILY IN MODERNIZED CAPABILITIES WHILE ALSO BECOMING INCREASINGLY AGGRESSIVE. THEY ARE TESTING OUR RESOLVE, PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF INTERNATIONAL NORMS, AND USING ALL ELEMENTS OF THEIR NATIONAL POWER TO DIVIDE AND DOMINATE WESTERN DEMOCRACIES AND CONTEST ALL DOMAINS. 

IT IS THE CHARGE OF HPSCI TO CONDUCT OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE THE FUNDING AND AUTHORITIES NECESSARY ARE PROVIDED TO THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY SO THAT THOSE AGENCIES CAN DELIVER TIMELY INDICATIONS AND WARNINGS TO POLICYMAKERS AND THE MILITARY. THIS IS A MISSION FOR WHICH THE IC CANNOT FAIL.

GIVEN THESE CHALLENGES, IT IS OUR INTENT TO RETURN THE COMMITTEE’S WORK EXCLUSIVELY TOWARD NATIONAL SECURITY AND THE OVERSIGHT OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.

AS WE UNDERTAKE THIS WORK, WE FOUND IT PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT THAT WE SEEK OUT AND ENGAGE EXTERNALLY WITH THE LEADING THINK TANKS ON A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS ALIGNED WITH THE COMMITTEE’S WORK. 

WHILE MOST OF OUR WORK IS DONE IN A CLASSIFIED SETTING, WE ARE ENGAGING IN AN OPEN DIALOGUE WITH OUTSIDE GROUPS AS IT IS APPROPRIATE. FOLLOWING OUR FIRST PANEL WITH FORMER NATIONAL SUECURITY OFFICIALS, THIS DIALOGUE CONTINUES TODAY WITH THE NOTABLE PANELISTS BEFORE US AND WILL CONTINUE IN THE COMING WEEKS WITH PANELS FEATURING FORMER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND ACADEMICS. THESE ENGAGEMENTS WILL HELP SHAPE OUR AGENDA AND PRIORITIES AND ARE INTENDED TO RESULT IN POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT WILL REFORM THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY AND THE REFINE THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE’S OVERSIGHT OF THE IC.

YOU ALL HAVE OFFERED THOUGHTFUL RECOMMENDATIONS IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENTS ON HOW WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE FROM YOU DURING TODAY’S DISCUSSION.

WITH THAT, I WILL NOW YIELD TO THE RANKING MEMBER FOR ANY OPENING STATEMENT HE MIGHT WISH TO MAKE.

 

Read the full opening statement from Mr. Frederick Kempe, President and CEO, Atlantic Council here.

Read the full opening statement from Mr. John P. Walters, President and CEO, Hudson Institute here.

Read the full opening statement from Dr. Richard Haass, President, Council on Foreign Relations here.

Read the full opening statement from Dr. Jason Matheny, President and CEO, RAND Corporation here.

Read the full opening statement from Dr. Amy Zegart, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Professor of Political Science at Stanford University here.

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