Dan Coats: “It is evermore important that we remain vigilant to the range of threats worldwide as we seek to do all we can to…”

One of the first things you can do--at this hearing, even--is to make a strong statement of support for professionalism in the IC and pledge that you will not tolerate politics influencing the analytical process.

I believe the top of the list will be to reinforce the prime imperative for our Nation's Intelligence Community: to find the truth and to speak truth to power, without fear of political retribution.

You will need to inspire a workforce that has unfortunately been hollowed out by years of firings, and remind them that their mission is critical--and still noble.

We have to figure this out.