On the recordDecember 16, 2011
I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to thank the chair and ranking member for the extraordinary job they have done on the Intelligence Committee. This committee, I think, has been more productive than it's been in years, and owing largely to the efforts of these two gentlemen as well as all the members of the committee. I am greatly appreciative of the spirit of cooperation and nonpartisanship that prevails on the Intelligence Committee, and I want to thank both of these gentlemen. I also enjoy working with Joe Heck, the chairman of the Technical and Tactical Subcommittee, and as ranking member I appreciate the opportunity to work on our overhead architecture issues. I remain concerned that we are largely investing in some inherited systems that are important but very expensive and can often crowd out new innovations and new technologies that are worthy of investment that provide potentially game-changing capabilities, but I look forward to continuing to work with the chair and ranking member to advance the science and technology that helps us stay one step ahead of our adversaries and helps us keep an eye on some of the bad actors around the world that pose a potentially great threat to the United States. But, once again, I'm greatly appreciative of the efforts of the committee and our leadership. I think this is a superb bill and moves our intelligence capabilities forward. I urge my colleagues to join in support.
