Committee, answering questions on the targeted killing program and his role as counterterrorism advisor to president bush. The confirmation hearing was interrupted several times by protesters. They were forced to reset for several minutes to clear the room. [captions Copyright Nationalcable satellite corp. 2013] [captioning performed bynational captioning institute] police. Will the Capitol Police now come in and clear the room. All signs out. [indiscernible] if the Capitol Police will clear the room, please. [indiscernible] [indiscernible] please clear the room. [indiscernible] please clear the room. [indiscernible] all right, i think we should clear the entire room and then let people back in. What do you think . We need more capital police. Yeah, lets [indiscernible] ok, we will try and start. [indiscernible] i am going to began this hearing, and let me say right up front that the process is that people are respectful, that they do not share, they do not have this, they do not show signs, that this is to listen. If that is a problem for anybody, i asked you to leave their room now. What we will do is remove you from the room. Let there be no doubt. So if i may, i would like to begin. The Committee Meets today in open session to consider the nomination of john brennan to be the 21st director of the Central Intelligence agency and the first directly to have risen to the agency lost ranks since bought gates. Mr. Brennan, congratulations on your nomination. I see senator warner has come in. Senator, i will make opening comments. The by sec chairman will make it opening comments, and then we will turn to you for your introduction, if that is agreeable. Mr. Brennan, congratulations on your nomination. I would like to welcome your family as well. I hope he will introduce them said the committee can give them its thanks. This is the first opportunity also to welcome our new members senator, heinrich was on my right, senator king who is due any moment, senator collins on my left, and senator coburn, who is not here at the moment but who will be, who is returning to the committee. We have a new ex officio member, senator inhofe. Welcome to all of you. The director of the cia is among the most Critical National security positions and the United States government. But because of the role the cia plays in collecting and analyzing intelligence relevant to every National Security challenge we face and because of the added importance of having steady leadership at an organization that conducts most of its business outside of the public arena. Intelligence is critical to the successful drawdown in afghanistan, to the brutal war going on in syria, across north africa where the attacks in benghazi and hostage situation in algeria threatened to spread into the next front against al qaeda and its affiliated groups. For Counterterrorism Operations run the world, any efforts by the United States and others to prevent big game and spread of weapons of mass destruction, in iran, north korea, and other states, and in addressing emerging threats in space, cyberspace, and elsewhere around the globe. To confront these challenges and to lead the cia to a through difficultt ke budgetary time, the president. Ominated jon brandenna mr. Brennan is without a doubt qualified for this position. He served at the cia for 25 years in managerial capacities. He has seen the agency from just about every angle, as a line analyst, as chief of station, as chief of staff to the director, and as zebedee executive director among many others. People who have worked close with him regularly cite his work ethic, his integrity, and his determination. In nominating john brennan, president obama spoke of his commitment to the values that define us as americans. Others noted his impeccable integrity and his dedication to the country is second to none. Without the unanimous consent, i would like to insert into the record matters the committee has received in regard to mr. Brennans nomination. John brennan by all accounts will be a strong leader, guided firmly by the law and his strong ethical code. He has assured the committee in his response to prehearing questions that he will be independent from political influence. He will seek only to provide the president , the congress, and other leaders, with his best analysis and advice. His responses to the committees questions are available on the committees website. Of course the committee must conduct its Due Diligence on such an important nominee, some members are going to have questions in a range of topics, including his plans for directing the agency, a major National Security challenges we face, positions and actions he has taken in his current and past jobs. Also of interest will be mr. Brennans the view on the use of targeted the the force in Counterterrorism Operations. Mr. Brennan has been one of the few Administration Officials able to speak publicly about such issues. Members will certainly want to understand his views on this but to include the importance of congress receiving all of the relevant legal analyses and the office of Legal Counsel at the the part of justice. While the disclosure earlier this week of a 16page unclassified white paper on the government must legal analysis of the use of targeted force against a United States citizen who was a senior operational leader of al qaeda, there is finally more Information Available to the public. I have been calling and others have been calling, the vice chairman and i, on the use of increase transparency on the use of targeted force for over a year, including the circumstances in which such force is directed against u. S. Citizens and noncitizens alike. I have been attempting to speak publicly about the very low number of civilian casualties that result from such strikes. But for the past several years, this committee has done significant oversight of the governments, but of targeted strikes and the figures we have obtained from the executive branch, which we have done have confirmed that the number of civilian casualties that have resulted from such strikes each year has typically been in the single digits. When i asked to give out the actual numbers, i am told you cannot, and i say why not . Because it is classified. It is a covert program. For the public, it does not exist. Well, i think that rationale, mr. Brennan, is long gone, and i will talk to you about that because i think it is very important that we share this data with people. This committee will continue to perform significant oversight of targeted strikes. We received this morning and office of Legal Counsel opinion on the topic. Actually, we received a short one and a long one, and while i was there i was delighted to see senator wyden reading, senator udall came in the room, and i hope every member will avail themselves of this opportunity to review those opinions. I also intend to review the proposals for regulation for legislation to ensure that drone strikes are carried out in a manner consistent with our values and the proposal to and a lot of the Foreign Surveillance court. Finally i wanted know how the nominee intends to lead agency said four directors served since 2004 and what he sees as the major challenges. For the information of members, we will have rounds of questions of eight minutes each, and members will be recognized by seniority, alternating between the sides. Members have requested the opportunity to ask mr. Brennan questions that will require classified answers as well. So we have the ability to move to a classified session following this hearing if it is timely and were able to do so. My suggestion is that we play that ear by ear, mr. Vice chairman, and see if it is possible to do so. If it is not, we will have are closed session on tuesday and our next hearing. Finally, before turning to the vice chairman, i would like to conclude my remarks the same way i did at the confirmation for general petraeus. Again, this time, the transition between cia directors has been managed by acting director michael morell. I would like to thank him for keeping the agency on firm footing and for his agreement to remain as Deputy Director after the confirmation process. He continues to be a topnotch cia officer, a friend of committee, and i am sure he will be an excellent deputy, mr. Brennan. Mr. Vice chairman, please proceed. Thank you. Mr. Brennan, i join the chair in congratulating you on your nomination welcome the do you to the committee today. I cannot have to remind you, because you are a career individual, of the importance of your nomination to head the cia. I also want to welcome your family and thank them for their support of you during your years of commitment to our element. Also i want to just say, as determined to it, how much we appreciate my morell, and i am very pleased to see that in your prepared statements he mentions his contribution to the cia and that you intend to keep mike in place. He is a very valued Public Servant and a guy who has stepped into very difficult situations now twice and has led creek commitment and has provided the kind of leadership the agency as needed. Mr. Brennan, if confirmed as the next director, it will be your responsibility to lead the c. I. A. As our nation continues to face significant National Security challenges. While we have heard a lot about al qaeda being decimated and on the run, it is by no means destroying it, and the threat of terrorism from its affiliates remains very real. Just in the past few months, terrorist attacks in algeria and benghazi have claimed american lives. It is clear our vigilance must not waver, and at the same time our attention focused beyond these threats posed by al qaeda and other organizations, from iran to north korea to venezuela, from Nuclear Proliferation to cyber intrusions to counterintelligence, the challenges are constant and immense, and the cia is a point of the spear. As your predecessors faced similar challenges, they recognize the importance of working hand in hand with congress, especially the congressional Intelligence Committees. I appreciated your commitment to me to be open and transparent with this committee if you are confirmed as the next director. I expect this commitment actually be borne out in practice regardless of political pressures and not just become words spoken during that process. Far too often the committee is facing unnecessary and frankly legally questionable obstacles can receiving needed oversight information from the Intelligence Community. As we hear from you this afternoon, i also believe it is important for you to set the record straight on a few matters relating to detention policy and the cias detention and to tear creation programs very we know the 2009 is sick of order removed the cia from the detention business, but the kerr framework is simply not working to get realtime access to intelligence for terrorist detainees. I reviewed the report in preparation for this hearing, and i am concerned that the administration is making the same mistakes that were made before 9 11 when the cia missed Vital Information on skm, a vital mastermind of the attacks. The commission cited the Administration Must focus on using the article 3 Court Process as factors in both instances. You and i also discussed the committees report on the cias the terror Interrogation Program which was approved in december. You told me you completed your review of the report of the executive summary and the findings and conclusions, and you will have an opportunity to express your observations and concerns that you expressed to meet with the rest at the committee today. I think i think you once again for your dedication and your service to our country, and i do look forward to your testimony and from at your response to questions submitted by the committee. Thank you, mr. Vice chairman, and now we were turned to the senator from a virginia, mark warner. Thank you, and it is my colleague introduced john brennan as the president must nominate to be the next director anof of the cia. John now calls Virginia Home. It has been my privilege as a member of this committee to represent many of the thousands of men and women in our agencies who also call Virginia Home. I would also make mention of the fact that, since we do not get that many opportunities in front of a public audience got to recognize and action that many of you joined in with us on, that we will be introduced this year, a joint resolution to mark professional stake, who keep our nation save every day. I look forward to working with all of you to make sure we do this resolution again. These same qualities, dedication, selflessness, intelligence, and patriotism, are well represented in john brennan, whom the men and women of the cia will find a dedicated leader in Public Service should he be confirmed. I have not had the opportunity to work with mr. Brennan as much as the other members. I enjoyed our meeting together, and as the chairman has indicated, his long career of Public Service and his record had prepared him to be director of the cia. He served for 25 years at the agency in the field and at headquarters, including as deputy executive director in Saudia Arabia and as briefer to two president since 9 11. He has spent at the front lines. He has enormous appreciation from the men and women of the cia and the work they do come often in the shadows, to keep renascent say. One thing i was impressed in our meeting was that mr. Brennan has been an advocate for Greater Transparency in our policy. And for adherence to the rule of law. As a member and a member of this Oversight Committee, i appreciate that. As the president said, the imperative to secure the nation must not come at the sacrifice of our law or ideals. This needs never be an either or hoice. Trec it is also important to ensure that while we look at the programs of the cia that their effectiveness be measured objectively and not by those who are charged with implementing them. The chairman has gone to parts of your background. I want to congratulate you on your nomination. The service has provided to our nation so far, and in the aftermath of this hearing, coakley the service that you will provide going for. With that i will come back to the dais. I give very much. Mr. Brennan, please stand and raise your right hand, and i will administer the it. I do solemnly swear i will give this committee the truth, the full truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me god. They care very much, and we look forward to hearing your testimony. Chairman, members of the committee, i am honored to be here before you today to be the sidents president s nominee [indiscernible] will you please stop. Please remove this one. Please remove [indiscernible] i am going to say once again that we welcome everyone here, that we expect no clapping, we expect no hissing, we expect the demonstration in this room. This is a very serious hearing. I will stop the hearing and i will ask the room to be cleared. So know that. Please continue. Thank you. I am honored to be appear before today. Grateful to the present for the confidence he has placed in me by sending my name forward to the senate for consideration. Senator warner, thank you for your introduction. And for your strong support for those who defend it. This includes extraordinary men and women of the cia, many of whom call Virginia Home and call you our senator. I would not be here today without the love and support of my wife kathy who has been my life partner for 35 years and who, like the spouses and other servants, and professionals, numerous sacrifices of the, [indiscernible] would you pause, mr. Brennan. Would you remove that person please print as quickly as you can. Thank you. [indiscernible] mr. Brennan, please proceed. Has made numerous sacrifices of the years, bearing the brunt of responsibilities because of my profession. I would like to pay tribute to my three children who have had to deal with it disappointment associated with an absentee parent while more often than they should, and i am pleased to be joined by my wife kathy and my brother tom. [indiscernible] all right [indiscernible] please remove fax woman. Please remove fat woman. Please remove that woman. Senator feinstein [indiscernible] please proceed. Mr. Brennan, the next time we will clear the chamber and bring people back in one by one. This witness is entitled to be heard, ladies and gentlemen, so please give him that opportunity. Thank you. A thank you ghost of my family in new jersey, especially my ndmomother [indiscernible] alright, which are run to halt the hearing. I am gone to ask that the room be cleared and that the code pink associates not be permitted to come back in. It has been done five times now, and five times is enough. So we will recess for a few minutes. [applause] [indiscernible] all right. Ladies and gentlemen, if you would mind leaving, we will then have you come back in, but it is the only way i think we are going to stop this. We will recess for a few minutes. [indiscernible] john . John . [indiscernible] [indiscernible] ok, we will reconvene the hearing. Mr. Brennan, please proceed. Thank you. I was talking about my parents. My mother, my father, who raised my sister, brother, and i, who shared the opportunity known as america. I would like to extend a salute to David Petraeus who remains one of the staunchest advocates of the agencys mission. I want to express my admiration for my close friend mike morell, who has guided the cia with a steady hand and exceptional skill. If confirmed it would be a privilege for me to work side by side with michael, my friend,