My concern is, you know, virtually every mid-sized to larger financial institution around should have somebody that has got classified status and clearances...

This problem is going to only exponentially grow...

I just believe, Mr. Chairman, that there are a lot of folks who have been reluctant to fully engage...

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume executive session and consideration of the Haspel nomination. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

I thank our friend, the chairman of the committee, the Senator from North Carolina. We have gone through a lot over the last couple of years, and I appreciate the fact that in terms of timing, he is going to allow me to speak first on Gina…

I worry that this President's relentless attacks and his allies attacks on the Mueller investigation... really raises to me the concern that some of Mr. Trump's supporters may start thinking well, you know, not only is the Mueller…

I think any reasonable person following who is been following the story... every one of them 100% agreed.

The committee's report yesterday left zero doubt that that committee does believe there was Russian meddling in the 2016 election that it was designed to help Donald Trump.

I was, again, disappointed that it appears the National Security Council is now trying to eliminate the cyber position in the White House, a direct report to the President.

This is a security risk. This is an economic risk in terms of our ability then to brief companies.

I think you'll recall when we had the hearings, bipartisan complete agreement the system is broken.

I can assure you that this committee will faithfully follow its charter and conduct vigorous and real-time oversight of the intelligence community, its operations and its activities.

I'm hopeful that, moving forward, you'll be an influential and forceful advocate for those foreign intelligence tools you believe are necessary to keep our citizens safe while protecting Americans' privacy.

Only 20 percent in six months? That's a little less ambitious than I think we discussed earlier.

I appreciate the fact and the support you have from the Agency's workforce and the fact that this, your confirmation, will be the first time in 54 years an operations officer would be confirmed to be Director.

I also understand that Ms. Haspel is the first operations officer in more than five decades who has been nominated to lead the Agency.

The CIA Director is responsible for providing the intelligence that informs policymakers working on every major national security and foreign policy problem facing our country.

The position of Director of the Central Intelligence Agency is one of the most important in our government.

You have to not only earn our trust, where we have more exposure to your records and classified information, but you have to earn the trust of other members who are not on this panel, and folks in the House who won't even consider this.

I want to follow-up on the question around the tapes, Ms. Haspel.

But many people, and I include myself in that number, have questions about the message the Senate would be sending by confirming someone for this position who served as a supervisor in the Counterterrorism Center during the time of…

The timing seems very close to acting on behalf of potential Congressional action.

I don't know if I was aware of all of those, but I knew there were--there was disagreement about the issue of the tapes outside the Agency.

I believe there is merit to expanding the use of telehealth to combat opioid use disorder as well.

Access to timely and comprehensive substance use disorder treatment is critical in combating opioid use disorder.