I think the purpose of this hearing is, regardless of the position of any Administration, to figure out what is right, not who is right.

Our experience has demonstrated the destructive impact that sweeping claims of privilege and secrecy can have on our Nation.

The government simply cannot be allowed to hide behind unexamined claims of secrecy and become the final arbiter of its own conduct.

This issue is perhaps the most important issue, in my judgment, this Committee will face.

Claims of secrecy have been used to conceal matters from Congress even though Members have the security clearance necessary to be briefed.

The legislation goes exactly in the wrong direction, so much so that even President Obama, Vice President Biden, and Secretary of State Clinton are running away from it.

the natural tendency on the part of the executive branch to overstate claims of secrecy and to avoid disclosure whenever possible

I want to thank my good friend Senator Dianne Feinstein, who introduced a private bill for Shirley.

This bill certainly should be made part of it. I will do my best to ensure that this is the case on the House side.

We clearly need to update our immigration policies to more efficiently promote family unification...

I am going to keep talking about this issue until the relevant statutes get fixed--the privacy and constitutional rights of the American people are at stake.