Richard Shelby: “I rise today to commend to my colleagues the nomination of Joan A. Dempsey, the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of…”

“I rise today to commend to my colleagues the nomination of Joan A. Dempsey, the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, and most recently the Director of Central Intelligence's Chief of Staff. Ms. Dempsey is the first nominee for the newly created position of Deputy Director of Central Intelligence for Community Management. Although Ms. Dempsey was nominated by the President just before the Senate adjourned last November, the Vice Chairman and I have waited to consider the nomination until outstanding issues regarding other positions created by the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 were resolved. We have reached an accommodation with the Director of Central Intelligence on these other positions, and we expect the President to put forward a nominee for the position of Assistant Director of Central Intelligence (ADCI) for Administration, soon. Ms. Dempsey appeared before the Committee in an open hearing on May 21, 1998. It is apparent that Ms. Dempsey is a well qualified career intelligence professional.”