WASHINGTON–Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., made the following statement Friday on the President’s reported decision to nominate James Clapper to be the next Director of National Intelligence.
Lieberman, who with Senator Susan Collins, R-Me., authored the 2004 legislation that created the position, has been an outspoken proponent of strengthening the DNI’s role and the nation’s intelligence capabilities.
“I applaud the President’s reported nomination of retired Gen. James R. Clapper to be our fourth Director of National Intelligence (DNI) since the position was created in 2004. We need a strong DNI who can coordinate the efforts of our 16 different intelligence agencies to confront terrorism and other national security threats to our nation. Gen. Clapper has vast experience in the intelligence community, has a proven record as an administrator and has always been a proponent of a strong DNI. I look forward to working with him to determine whether the DNI needs additional authorities in order to lead and integrate the intelligence community.”
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