Opening Statement of Sen.

Mark Warner
Vice Chairman, Senate Intelligence Committee
Open Hearing on the Nomination of Lieutenant General Paul M. Nakasone to be the Director of the
National Security Agency
March 15, 2018
**EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY**

Below are Vice Chairman Warner’s opening remarks as prepared for delivery:

General Nakasone, welcome.

If you are confirmed, you will take charge of one of the most important assignments in our government
and in the Intelligence Community. You will be entrusted to lead the thousands of dedicated men and
women of the NSA. It will be your job to ensure that accurate and timely Signals Intelligence is provided
to our nation’s leaders and warfighters.

You will be responsible for protecting our military networks, safeguarding the unique capabilities and
assets of the United States, and outsmarting our adversaries… and as Commander of U.S. Cyber
Command, you will also respond to threats and conduct operations when ordered to do so.

At the same time, you must continue to ensure that NSA operates within the law and protects the privacy
and civil liberties of Americans.

The NSA’s activities must continue to operate within the parameters of the law – including the Foreign
Intelligence and Surveillance Act (FISA) – with foolproof mechanisms for ensuring no Americans are
targeted without a warrant, and subject to robust oversight by Congress, the judiciary and regular
executive branch reviews.

Your nomination comes at a critical time. As I look around the world, I see threats and challenges to the
United States and the system of international institutions and alliances that have maintained prosperity,
peace and stability since World War II. We’ve also seen domestic threats to the NSA’s ability to execute
on its mission, with a series of leaks that have challenged the agency and at times undermined the morale
of its workforce.

The NSA must provide the best intelligence on terrorist and extremist groups, rogue regimes, nuclear
proliferation and regional instability. I am concerned about the rise of potential nation-state adversaries
and policies that aim to disrupt the international order.

In particular, we should all be alarmed by the destabilizing role played by Vladimir Putin’s Russia, which
threatens both the United States and our allies – as we have just seen in the United Kingdom, where
Russia has been credibly accused by the British government of using a lethal military-grade nerve agent
in a reprehensible assassination attempt on UK territory.

The heads of our intelligence agencies were here a month ago and all indicated that Russia will continue
to try to interfere in our elections – activities that demand a strong U.S. response. The United States must
develop a whole-of-government response to strengthen our defenses. I believe we need a cyber doctrine
that will deter nations like Russia from going after our critical institutions –civilian, military, and private
sector, knowing that there will be consequences. Our lack of action – and the President’s refusal to even
acknowledge this threat – has let malicious actors off the hook, and encouraged future cyber-attacks on
the United States. I’d like your thoughts on how we prevent the Russians – and others – from eating our
lunch for free.

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I also worry that we are on the cusp of a paradigm shift in technological development – and not one in
which we are poised to prevail against well-resourced competitors, who are willing to engage in a
“whole of society” effort to obtain economic advantage and access to our most sensitive technologies.

The top dozen Chinese technology firms have already entered or are poised to enter the United States and
western markets. In stark contrast to the U.S., these firms maintain relationships with, and provide access
to, the Chinese government that is unlike anything we see with other developed nations. While we want to
encourage an open economy, what are the potential risks to our society from these developments?

China is still behind us in R&D expenditures, but has been increasing its R&D spending by about 20
percent per year. By comparison, our own R&D budget has increased by just 4 percent per year, and
China is on track to match our spending in just a few short years. Moreover, China is positioning itself to
be a global leader in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and bioengineering – with serious
implications for our privacy, economic, and national security. NSA will have a critical role to play in
staying ahead of this rapidly evolving landscape and anticipating how adversaries utilize emerging
technologies.

Finally, I would like to hear your thoughts about the dedicated men and women of the NSA – your
workforce of dedicated intelligence professionals. These are men and women who work in silence to keep
America safe. They have taken a beating from those who falsely call into question their motivations, their
dedication and their honesty.

I know that these attacks obscure the truth. My colleagues on this Committee and I know that at NSA
Headquarters, the Memorial Wall lists the names of 176 NSA cryptologists – military and civilian – who
made the ultimate sacrifice for their country while “serving in silence.” I would like to know your plans
for hiring and retaining your workforce – this nation’s best and brightest.

Thank you Mr. Chairman, I look forward to this hearing.

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Minority Press Contact:

Rachel_Cohen@warner.senate.gov
Press Office (202) 228-6884