[inaudible conversations] id like to call this hearing to order. This hearing will be a little bit different. It is perhaps the first congressional hearing held during the extenuating circumstances of the pandemic. We have a sparse crowd and expanded bias the committees hearings to the guidelines put forth by the rules committee and attending physician. Id like to thank our members and staff for their patience and understanding as we work through the logistics in holding this hearing a part of the eversight of Intelligence Community. Members will be joining us on a rotating basis throughout the morning. And again this afternoon, as we move to a closed session. Their absence now is not a reflection of the importance they place on this matter. We have asked members to watch as much of the hearings as they can from their offices, only coming into the hearing room to ask questions. Id also like to thank the press corps for your accommodation of the restrictions were facing as we seek to fulfill our requirements to open this nomination hearing in an open setting or at least as open as current circumstances allow. Media in the room today are serving as a pool representative for the Broader Media community and i know they will ensure quick and unvarnished dissemination of what is discussed in this hearing. While im person the atmosphere of this setting will feature prominently in media coverage, i know the media will be focused on the important intelligence oversight and Community Management issues that are also going to be discussed. Finally, i want to thank the nominee, who has patiently waited for this hearing. I know hes ready to get to work leading the Intelligence Community, which has continued to do its vital work under increasingly difficult conditions. These intelligence professionals, our eyes, our ears, follow developments we see in the headlines and threats that most of us will never see, from terrorists who seek to do us harm, to cyber actors probing critical infrastructure, to foreign intelligence officer, to steal research from contractors or physics professors. Countries have locked down and threats why not stopped. Our Intelligence Community as always remains on watch joining their uniformed brothers and sisters guarding a grateful, a grateful if perhaps distracted nation. They deserve and the country needs the certainty of a permanent senateconfirmed director of National Intelligence. Id like to formally recognize John Ratcliffe, the president s nominee for the president s National Intelligence. I wish i could welcome your wife and children, but given the number of people in the hearing room, i send my appreciation via cspan. I thank them for their willingness to go on this journey with you and for their support. Today we will concern congressman ratcliffes qualifications and engage in thoughtful deliberation. Congressman has provided s substenant answers to questions and todays hearing allows for personal discussions. Congressman ratcliffe was elected in 2014 to the house of representatives from the Fourth District of texas. He serves on the House Select Committee of intelligence, the House Judiciary Committee and the house ethics committee. Prior to his service in congress, mr. Ratcliffe was a partner in a law firm. During his tenure at the department of justice he served as the First Assistant u. S. Attorney as the chief antiterrorism National Security for the Eastern District of texas and then as the interim u. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of texas. During that time, mr. Ratcliffe also served as mayor for the city of heath, texas. Congressman ratcliffe received his undergraduate degree from the university of notre dame, law degree from Southern Methodist university. Congressman, youve been asked to lead the National Intelligence committee different a time of challenge. We expect that youll lead the Intelligence Committee with integrity. Serve as a forceful advocate for the professionals in the United States and ensure the intelligence enterprise operates lawfully, ethically and morally. I can assure you that this continue will continue to conduct vigorous and realtime oversight over the Intelligence Community, its operations and its activities. Well ask difficult and probing questions of you and your staff and we expect honest, complete and timely responses. I want to thank you again for being here for your years of service for our country and look forward to your testimony. Before i turn to the vicechairman, id like to note the passing of our dear trend tom coburn. He served and was a valuable member of this committee. He cared deeply for this committee, its staff and the men and women of the Intelligence Community. He understood the importance of their mission and the mission of this committee. His advice, counsel and friendship will sorely be missed and i utilize it, no less than a month and a half ago. Some might wonder why my face looks a little hairy. This is the only way i could think of doing a tribute to tom coburn was to do what tom did when things were confusing and we lacked understanding what direction to go up here, as most of us know, tom would come back and he wouldnt shave for a month, two months, six months until things squared away. Im not sure im going to wait until things are squared away, but for tom for moral service to properly memorialize him. Now remarks. Thank you, mr. Chairman good to see you and my other colleagues. Let me start for a moment where you left off as somebody who spent literally years and years with tom coburn on a weekly basis with the gang of six effort. I got to know toms intelligence, integrity, irascible nature, is that the right word . Occasionally a pain in the what . Whatever . But i share with you, he will be missed and i would have joined you in that kind of tribute, but if you saw how badly any time ive tried to grow a beard would look, im probably doing better tribute by just saying things about him. Mr. Ratcliffe, its great to see you. I know these are normally hearings where we, you know, close, supposed to see the impression in the whites of your eyes. Im not sure im going to be able to make that kind of judgment from here with my sitely aging slightly aging eyes. I get the general direction, the small at that point, if it turns to grimace well know, but its great to have you here and i appreciate it. The opportunity we had last friday to spend some quality time together. Unfortunately, as the chairmans already noted, i once again must note that these are unprecedented times. America faces a challenge to our lives and security that weve not had in over half a century. And its during such trying times that we all recognize the value of nonpartisan expertise throughout our government. Nowhere is this clearer than in the apolitical Intelligence Community. The ic collects intelligence on imminent and pro potential threats and analyzes them and best estimates without fear or favor to our nations leaders. This is essential so the policy makers can craft a timely and Effective Response to protect america. And nowhere is the need for competent, apolitical leadership clearer than in the position of the director of National Intelligence, who stands at the head of the nations 17 intelligence agencies. Unfortunately, what weve seen from the president ever since he came into office, is an unrelenting, and i believe undeserved attack upon our professional women and men of our intelligence agencies. This is not because our Intelligence Community is deserving of these attacks, nor are they at the heart of some, quote, unquote, deep state conspiracy to undermine our political leaders. No, i believe the president attacks our intelligence agencies for one simple reason, because unvarnished truth and unembellished analysis are not welcomed in this white house. What weve seen over the last year has been especially dangerous. The systemic firing of anyone at the odni who has the termerity to speak truth to power. From dni, dan coates, and Principal Deputy sue gordon to acting dni, joe mcguire. To acting director of counterterrorism russ traffic versus, to the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community michael adkinson. These firings forced depar tours from the community has left odni without a single Senate Confirmed leader at the helm. Instead, an acting dni, with no experience in intelligence, but with plenty of political loyalty to the president , has been appointed to oversee americas intelligence enterprise. As acting dni, this individual promptly instituted a hiring freeze and a reorganization whose purpose has not been communicated to the intelligence Oversight Committees. He also quickly fired Senior Leaders with decades of experience in the ic. Alarmingly weve begun to hear reports that professionals have been pressured to limit the information they share with congress. And now, mr. Ratcliffe, the president has nominated you to this critical position of National Security and intelligence leadership. I have to say that while im willing to give you the benefit of the doubt during this hearing, i dont see what has changed since last summer when the president decided not to proceed with your nomination over concerns about your inexperience, partisanship and past statements that seemed to embellish your record. This includes some particularly damaging remarks about whistling blowers which has long been bipartisan on this committee. Ill speak plainly, i still have some of the doubts now as i had back in august. Some have suggested that your main qualification for confirmation to this post is that youre not ambassador grinnell, and frankly, thats not enough. Before we put the senates stamp of approval and put a nominee to this critical position, the senators must demand the qualities that the senate specified when it passed the low creating the odni after 9 11, legislation which my colleagues like senator collins helped author. We must expect and demand professionalism, a nonpartisan commitment to the truth and a rock solid dedication to defending those who defend us every day. The professional women and men of our nations Intelligence Committees. I hope that today we can get a sense of your ability to adhere to that requirement. I look forward to the questioning and look forward to this opportunity. Thank you very much, mr. Chairman. Thank you, vicechairman. Former attorney general John Ashcroft was planned, scheduled to be here to introduce representative ratcliffe. Given the current circumstances, he could not attend. He sent us his remarks and the senator has kindly agreed to represent attorney general ashcroft today. The floor is yours. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Its always good to be with my colleagues on the Senate Select committee on intelligence and today, its my pleasure to introduce John Ratcliffe whos the nominee for the director of National Intelligence. As the chairman said, we do have a letter from the former attorney general and its rather lengthily, im not going to read all of it, but i will refer to excerpts, but i ask for consent that it be made part of the record following my remarks. The reason i think its so important for the committee and the senate to hear from former attorney general ratcliffe excuse me, former attorney general ashcroft is because of his intimate knowledge of the qualifications of the nominee, as well as the personal credentials, integrity. Let me start by reading an excerpt from attorney general ashcrofts letter. He said integrity is the indispensible for the best friend of National Security. National security is the cingular portfolio most allergic that develops from distortion and sound intelligence must never be contaminated by personal bias or political predisposition. General ashcroft goes on to say ive known and worked with john for more than a decade and i know of no person, no person with a higher commitment to integrity and ive seen him speak the unvarnished truth for those he works with and works for, whether senior government officials or corporate ceos. He makes the important point and he did in my conversation with him yesterday in his farm in missouri, he makes the point that over the last 15 years congressman ratcliffe has served in crucial roles as both a developer and consumer of intelligence, a role that i think speaks to his background and qualifications for the job. Finally, he said John Ratcliffe is committed to forging an Intelligence Committee that offers the most insightful intelligence and counterintelligence possible. He will serve with transparent precision that enables them to defend our nation from threats and keep our citizens and nation free. Mr. Chairman, i know that coming to this nomination as a member of congress, that congressman ratcliffe, as any member of congress might, people wonder, does he really understand the difference between being in the adversarial atmosphere and that is congress and that especially speaks to our oversight responsibilities. As somebody who has had the privilege of serving in all three branches of government, both as a judge, as attorney general of texas and now at a legislator, i can tell you that John Ratcliffe has the intelligence to be able to understand the difference between being a legislator and being the director of National Intelligence. These are simply different roles to be played while discharging our government responsibilities. So i think thats something you might want to ask him more about, something i hope he will address, but ive known john personally from 10 years and im proud to support his nomination and to give you my strongest personal recommendation. The chairman has mentioned his experience on the house intelligence and Judiciary Committees, as well as the ethics committee. I do believe that as a former u. S. Attorney he does understand and is a current member of the house Intelligence Committee, he does understand the vast threats our country is facing and the challenges that we face which lie ahead. We need to be able to count on a leader to operate free of personal or political motivation, serving only with the security and safety of the American People in mind. And i believe John Ratcliffe is the person to do that job. Hes prepared to continue the legacy of outstanding leadership. Weve come to expect, and count on from the dni, and i have confidence in his ability to serve as a steadfast leader and advocate for the intelligence professionals of the ic. And the trusted partner with this committee. So mr. Chairman, Ranking Member warner, i appreciate your careful consideration of my friend and fellow texan, John Ratcliffe and appreciate the opportunity to introduce him today. Thank you very much. Senator cornyn, thank you for that introduction. With that, congressman ratcliffe if you would rise and raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear to give the committee the truth, the full truth and nothing, but the truth so help you god . I do. Please be seated. Before we move to your stateme statement, ill ask you five standard questions the committee poses to each nominee who appears before us. They just quire a simple yes or no answer. One, do you agree to appear before the committee here and in other venues when invited . Yes. If confirmed, do you agree to send officials from your office to appear before the committee and designated safe when invited . Yes. Do you agree to provide documents or any other materials asked by the committee in order for it to carry out its oversight and the legislative responsibilities . Yes. Will you ensure that your office and staff provide such materials to the committee when requested. Yes. And five, do you agree to inform and fully brief the committee to the fullest extent possible. All members of the committee of the intelligence activity and covert action rather than only the chair and the vice chair. Yes. I want to thank you very much. Its my intention to move to a Committee Vote on this nominee as soon as possible. Therefore, for planning purposes, any member who wishes to submit questions for the record after todays hearing, please do so quickly. Well now proceed to your Opening Statement after which ill recognize members by seniority for five members as discussed earlier, members will have the opportunity to ask followup questions in the blocks that are designated. So let me say for the purposes of members, we have 30 minute blocks. There is time allotted in the block for additional questions and there is not time for five minutes of additional questions and i will state for members, as the vicechairman and i have talked. At the end of 30 minutes regardless ever where we are in the block with those senators, i will cut it off because weve got a dead stop for the room at 12 00. So i thank every member for their accommodations. With that congressman ratcliffe, the floor is yours. Chairman burr, vicechairman warn warner, im honored to appea