Our goal for this hearing is to enable this committee to have a thoughtful and deliberate consideration of your qualifications for the positions that youve respectfully been nominated to fill. The witnesses have provided written responses which you all will have. As youll see, mr. Miller graduated from George Washington university. He was commissioned as an infantry officer, he has a masters in National Security studies and a graduate of the Naval College of staff. Began his military career as a infantry man in the army and served in the district of col n Columbia National guard. He served with the fifth special forces group. He participated in combat operations in afghanistan and iraq. Upon retiring from the army in 2014, he worked as a defense contractor before serving as the special assistant to the president and senior director of counterterrorism at the National Security council. He currently serves as the Deputy Assistant secretary of defense for special operations and for combatting terrorism. Mr. Hovakimian received his law degree from Stanford University in 2010. He entered private practice for several years before joining the u. S. Department of justice as an assistant u. S. Attorney. During this time, he served multiple roles here in washington to including during his time with doj, he served in multiple roles here in washington to include as the departments director of counter Trans National organized crime, he serve as the associate Deputy Attorney general and chief of staff of Deputy Attorney general jeffrey rosen. Youve been asked to lead otct at a time when were engaged in a debate, a robust debate about the Intelligence Community and our collection tools and authorities. At the same time, however, the nation continues to confront growing array of threats from state and nonstate actors. Navigating this tension will require judgment, wisdom, integrity, and i expect that you will both provide sound counsel and advice to the director of National Intelligence as he takes on these complex challenges. The satisfaction of this committees oversight mandate will require transparency and responsive from your respective offices. You can expect us to ask difficult and probing questions of you and your staff and we will expect honest, complete and timely answers. That said, we also want you to feel free to come to the committee with situations that in a assess at a time our working in perspective wiwith y. I thank you both for being here for your years of service to your country and for your willingness to continue in that service and i look forward to your testimony. I recognize the vice chairman. Thank you, may remember. Cha. I had the opportunity to talk with both of them prior to this hearing. Congratulations on your respective nominations to serve as director of the National Terrorism center and general counsel for the office of dni. Both of the these positions are important positions in the Intelligence Community during a time of unprecedented National Challenge and peril. The National Counterterrorism center im not sure i understand. Is that huawei coming in already . His huawei phone was going off. I apologize. The National Counterterrorism center was created to prevent these kind of efforts of the bad guys listening into our meetings, was created in the wake of 9 11 to connect the dots and ensure a terrorist attack never occurs on our soil. Including protecting americans Civil Liberties and privacy. The job of the american Intelligence Community is to uncover and anticipate threats and to provide warning to the nation, the Intelligence Community is first and foremost americas eyes and ears against foreign threats. And you, just as all of the professional men and women of the ic are mandated to be nonpolitical and to 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 Community have come under attack. Not only from a broad, but without justification from within the leadership of our very own government. Those who have had the temerity to do what all americans expected of them, simply to tell the truth, have found themselves similarly dismissed, disparaged on twitter, and retaliated against. Because this president so often finds the truth unwelcome, he has fired dni coats, acting dni mcguire, acting deputy dni, mr. Hallman, deputy dni, sue gordon, an ic Inspector GeneralMichael Atkinson, a 40year intelligence veteran was dismissed by mr. Trumps acting dni. Intelligence professionals who volunteer to do difficult, dangerous jobs including those who risk their lives every day around the world, must know that our countrys leaders have their backs. Instead, theyve been subject to disrespect. For a signature period of this year, there was not a single senateconfirmed senior official at the office of the dni. This alarms me and it should alarm the american public. The leadership roles you have agreed to undertake are challenging under the best of circumstances. Mr. Miller, our terrorist adversaries have not simply disappeared. Those of us on this committee know that plots continue every day. American men and women deployed in harms way in syria, iraq, afghanistan, and elsewhere are terrorist target and is some thefr ma never made it back to their families. I look forward to hearing about you today as to how to confront the sophisticated threat from isis and other rogue operations. Youll take on in this role. And how you will define success should you be concerned. In particular, i would like to hear what you think about the role of the nctc in confronting these threats and how you plan to make sure the center is 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 the intelligence committees informed and to ensure american Civil Liberties are protected. As we saw with the ukraine whistleblower, those who complied with their obligations to inform congress have faced consequences. I expect to engage on you today on your perspective on what Legal Counsel at the department of justice. Unfortunately, because of how this administration has approached the ic, your 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 analysis is apolitical, how you were reassured 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 challenging positions and i look forward to todays hearing. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I understand 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 a native of my home state of iowa, mr. Christopher miller. I congratulate both of the nominees for their appointment. It is not every day that an iowan with such a distinguished Service Record comes before the senate for consideration. So it is a special privilege for me to give this introduction. Chris parents and much of his family still live in iowa city and or eastern iowa. Im sure his family is very proud that he will be testifying be recognized for his accomplishments for the country. Chris was raised in iowa city and 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 numerous additional deployments to both of those countries. On behalf of the people of iowa, we thank you and other people for your service to the country particularly in those difficult times. Following his time in the army, chris went on to become a Deputy Assistant secretary of defense for special operations and combating terrorism, 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 in Public Service, chris has given the best of himself for the American People in the defense of our country. Of course, that 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 and his 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 Counterterrorism 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. Thank you, senator grassley. Before we begin, would you please stand and raise your right hand . Do you solemnly swear to give this committee the truth, the full truth and nothing but the truth, so help you god . I do. Thank 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 who appears before us. They generally require a simple yes or no answer. We need to hear it so it can be transcribed. So make sure your microphones are on. First question, do you appear to agree to appear here and many other venues when invited . Yes. If confirmed, do you agree 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 the committee 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 the full extent possible all members of the committee of intelligence activities and covert actions to the chairman and vice chairman . Yes. Thank you very much. We will now proceed to the Opening Statements after which i will recognize members. I believe we will go by order of seniority today. Christopher, i understand you are going to go first, the floor is yours. Thank you, senator. I want to highlight what a thrill it was for senator grassley to make those opening comments. I got my folks are watching, i hope they have cspan2 up. I was a little bit worried that im sure my sister helped them out. My uncle floyd and my aunt arlene i know are smiling down as they were supporters of senator grassley. When i was 14 years old, i went to an event at their farm and i will admit that i did not hear his remarks, i was on the defensive line plinking with my bb gun but this was 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, with all the work 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 sit before you today as the president s nominee for this position. I am grateful to have the support and confidence of President Trump and the director of National Intelligence radcliffe. Along with the overwhelming privilege to lead and command americas sons and daughters in combat as an Army Special Forces officer, being considered for this position is the honor of my professional life. When al qaeda declared war in the United States on september the 11th, 2001, i like many of my generation answered 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 has prevented another cataclysmic attack. When we set out on this journey, we envisioned our campaign against violent extremist organizations as a generational war. Not a multigenerational war. It would be in my view the height of the responsibility to leave this conflict for our children to fight. It is my lifes goal whether confirmed for this position or in another capacity to defeat al qaeda and its affiliates, to transition the war to a sustainable effort focused on monitoring the terrorist threats in the United States, attacking those with the ability to do us harm. And expanding relationships with likeminded partners around the world who are committed to the elimination of this scourge to peaceful coexistence. I still see myself as a kid from iowa who wants nothing more than to serve the country and make their parents proud. My father believed strongly in the nobility of Public Service, and i try every day 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 who are here with me today. Kate stood with me through this 32year odyssey and raised over three children into magnificent adulthood. Their character, optimism to the future, and motivation to that give me hope and continue greatness in this United States of america. If confirmed i will lead 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, unvarnished 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 11th, 2001. Mr. Acting chairman, mr. Vice chairman, members of the committee, thank you for your leadership in protecting the United States. I look forward to responding to your 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 general counsel for the office of the director of National Intelligence. I am honored to appear before you today. I also extend my thanks to the president for the opportunity to serve, to director radcliffe, 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 if maybe you can bring your mic a little bit closer . Sure. Thank you so much. We are all kind of getting used to this. At to my my current boss attorney 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 shape who i am today and compelled me to put my hand up when called upon to serve. This great country of ours has given me everything. My parents came to the San Francisco bay area and built a life and raised two boys and instilled in me a deep appreciation of the freedom and rights our country provides. And an equally strong duty 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 both from back home in california and those from later in life who have supported me and lived life beside me through the years. Ive been fortunate in my career. After graduation from law school i joined an International Law firm where i worked alongside and learned from the finest lawyers in the world. After a few years in the firm working for a judge on the 11th circuit, i have i thought could what i thought could be the best job i ever had. As an ausa in san diego i worked alongside agents and prosecutors building cases from the ground up. I handled matters and diverse contexts across the criminal code. For the last couple of years i served as a prosecutor and i worked primarily on a series of cases involving a former f