Adam Smith: “None of what has been said really changes under these amendments. What all this really is is an argument to get rid of…”

“None of what has been said really changes under these amendments. What all this really is is an argument to get rid of the NSC, to say that this group of folks should not exist. As we argued before, the reason the National Security Council was created was to offer the President close and confidential advice. Now, that National Security Council, as was pointed out by other people who have made arguments about this, has consistently been criticized by the other Departments, going all the way back, I imagine, to when the NSC was formed. Whether there is 100, 200, or 300 of them, that really doesn't change that basic conflict. Do you believe the President needs these confidential advisers? If you do, then you should oppose these amendments. They should get rid of the NSC. If you are going to take away the advice and their ability to do that, then we should just have the DOD and the President shouldn't have these advisers. But there is a reason the NSC was created in the first place, to give the President those close advisers. Further restricting it in this manner effectively eliminates the NSC. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.”