[Congressional Record: June 30, 2011 (Senate)]
[Page S4255-S4268]


 
                           EXECUTIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

     NOMINATION OF DAVID H. PETRAEUS TO BE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL 
                          INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination, 
which the clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read the nomination of David H. 
Petraeus, of New Hampshire, to be Director of the Central Intelligence 
Agency.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will be 2 
hours of debate equally divided and controlled in the usual form.
  The Senator from California.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Thank you very much, Madam President.
  I come to the floor as the chairman of the Select Committee on 
Intelligence to speak about the nomination of GEN David Petraeus to 
become the Director of the CIA. I wish to thank the majority leader for 
bringing this nomination to the floor in such a quick fashion because 
the committee, only earlier this week, on Tuesday, unanimously approved 
the nomination of General Petraeus.
  I think there is no doubt but that General Petraeus is among the 
finest military officers and strategic thinkers of his generation. We 
are very lucky to have his service. He wrote the Army's 
counterinsurgency strategy and then applied it in Iraq, securing a 
military victory from what had appeared to be a descent into chaos and 
violence.
  One year ago to this day, the Senate confirmed General Petraeus to 
replace GEN Stanley McChrystal as the leader of American and 
International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan. Since then he 
has shifted the strategy, implemented the troop surge, kept our 
coalition together, and today our military and intelligence analysts 
point to gains in the security situation and in the Afghan military and 
ability of the police to secure their nation.
  General Petraeus's willingness to take on the Afghanistan mission 
also demonstrates his extraordinary commitment to public service. At 
the time, he was serving in Tampa, FL, as the Combatant Commander for 
Central Command, no longer directly in charge of a war zone but with 
the responsibility for not just Afghanistan but for 19 other countries 
as well. He agreed to what was a step down in the military ``org 
chart'' to take on the hardest military challenge in the world and to 
deploy from Tampa to Kabul. The Nation certainly owes General Petraeus 
a debt of gratitude for 37 years in uniform.
  When he is confirmed, General Petraeus will be taking off the uniform 
to become Director Petraeus. He has clearly considered the differences 
in culture and mission between the CIA and the military, and now he 
will shift

[[Page S4256]]

his style to lead intelligence collectors and analysts rather than 
officers and enlisted troops.
  As a matter of fact, in our hearing in Hart 216, there was a bit of 
levity when General Petraeus was asked the question about how he would 
transition from a four-star general to a civilian role as Director of 
the CIA. He said: You can be sure that when I arrive at the CIA, I will 
arrive without an escort and just simply get out of my automobile and 
walk into the building. Well, as we looked out in the audience at his 
confirmation hearing and we saw a phalanx of officers accompanying the 
general, it became very clear that it was, indeed, going to be quite a 
transition.
  I believe--and I think this is the importance of this nominee--that 
General Petraeus understands the difference and is prepared to move 
into a civilian organization at a difficult time. Of our 16 different 
intelligence agencies, one is generally--and hopefully but generally--
led by a civilian, although there have been seven military commanders 
in our history who have led the CIA. Of course, Leon Panetta is, in 
fact, a civilian.
  I think we have to consider the timing of this: the winddown of two 
wars, Iraq and Afghanistan; the operation in Libya; a restive Middle 
East where the changes in an Arab spring are not fully known; an 
Israeli-Palestinian situation that has to it crisis dimensions; the 
North Korean situation with respect to the nuclear weaponry of that 
country; Iran, a very dangerous country with the potential of becoming 
a nuclear country; and, above all things, the fact that this September 
is the tenth anniversary of 9/11, and where there is nonspecific 
intelligence that this country may well have a revenge attack against 
it. Therefore, I think General Petraeus's military service will come in 
handy. I think his analytical skills and ability will come in very 
handy. I believe he is the right man for the job at this time.
  Through the confirmation process, the Intelligence Committee has 
sought to understand General Petraeus's vision for the CIA and how he 
will lead it through the challenges I have just mentioned. I believe he 
has answered these questions and has laid out his views.
  General Petraeus has testified that he had discussed this possible 
move to the CIA with Secretary Gates as far back as last year. He even 
demonstrated that he knows the CIA culture and the lingo, saying that 
right after being sworn in he will call an ``all-hands'' meeting for 
all CIA employees and ``will tell them up front right there that you 
all should know that I'm here to recruit you and I know that you're 
here to recruit me.''
  He has met with just about every CIA former Director and received 
their advice on running the agency, and he plans to put that advice 
into practice.
  General Petraeus has written and testified he fully appreciates the 
mission of the CIA is to provide unvarnished intelligence assessments 
to policymakers, whether they like it or not. That is a fundamental 
point. The intelligence must stand on its own. It must be good 
intelligence, it must be streamlined intelligence, and it must be 
intelligence which has been subject to the best of analysis and red-
teaming.
  This was one of the questions raised during his confirmation: Would 
General Petraeus put aside his military commander's assessments and 
carry forth the agency's analytic view? He answered the question head 
on, pointing out that he has experience in the analytical field and in 
debating assessments to reach the best judgment possible.
  General Petraeus specifically pointed to his academic background as 
well as his military command experience. He, in fact, has earned--and I 
don't think many people know this--a master's of public administration 
and a Ph.D. in international relations from Princeton University's 
Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He has 
served as an assistant professor of international relations at the U.S. 
Military Academy at West Point, from which he graduated, and as a 
fellow at Georgetown University.
  So the culture and debate in the CIA's Directorate of Intelligence 
will not be new to General Petraeus, and he understands the importance 
of presenting clear analytic views.
  While all Members are familiar with General Petraeus's recent 
positions in Iraq and Afghanistan, let me touch on some of his prior 
experience. Prior to command in Iraq, he served at Fort Leavenworth, 
KS, during which time he oversaw the development of the Army and the 
Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Manual. The importance of that manual is 
that it has stood the test of time since then.
  Earlier in his career, General Petraeus served in Bosnia, where he 
was the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations of the NATO 
Stabilization Force and the Deputy Commander of the United States 
Counterterrorism Task Force-Bosnia.
  Prior to his tour in Bosnia, he spent 2 years at Fort Bragg, NC, 
serving as the Assistant Division Commander for Operations of the 82nd 
Airborne Division, and then as Chief of Staff of the Airborne Corps.
  In addition, he has served in a number of staff assignments, 
including aide to the Chief of Staff of the Army; Military Assistant to 
the Supreme Allied Command-Europe; Chief of Operations of the United 
Nations Force in Haiti; and Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the 
Joint Chiefs of Staff.
  Not only is this a man who has great experience, this is a man who 
has commanded, who understands the military, and who has produced for 
the United States of America.
  From my meeting and discussions with him, his responses before, 
during, and after our confirmation hearing, and based on his remarkable 
background, I am absolutely confident General Petraeus will make an 
excellent Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. I hope his 
confirmation vote will be unanimous. That makes it a real mandate.
  While we are here to consider the nomination of David Petraeus, I 
also wish to note and recognize some other people. First and foremost, 
Defense Secretary Bob Gates, a former Director of Central Intelligence 
and the Secretary of Defense whose term ends today.
  Secretary Gates has been a tremendously dedicated public servant 
throughout his career but never more needed and appreciated than his 
last 4\1/2\ years as Secretary of Defense. He has presided over the 
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has managed the largest organization 
in the world at the Pentagon. He has earned the complete trust and 
respect of both President Bush and President Obama and of every single 
Member of this body. That almost makes him an endangered species.
  Secretary Gates is the model of the professional government official, 
and his leadership and his character is truly an example to us all. I 
wish him well as he goes back to the State of Washington. Candidly, on 
a personal level, I will never forget his service to our country.
  Next, today is Leon Panetta's last day as Director of the CIA. I was 
very proud to be able to introduce Director Panetta as a native 
Californian at his confirmation hearing to be Secretary of Defense 
earlier this month. I can't say enough about the job he has done and my 
appreciation for the relationship we have had over the past 2 years. I 
think it is well known that when it first cropped up that he might be 
considered for CIA Director, I thought the service could be best served 
by someone with CIA experience. I can say here I couldn't have been 
more wrong. Director Panetta has stepped in when the Senate has had a 
hard time finding agreement and put together a note of confidence in 
this body that is unsurpassed, and I believe that is true at the agency 
as well. He has raised morale. He understands the priorities. He has 
set the priorities. And he was eminently prepared to be the commanding 
officer in the takedown of Osama bin Laden. Mr. Panetta's service as 
CIA Director was both unique and very special. And it is worth noting 
that, in a time when the Senate has a hard time finding agreement, Leon 
Panetta received 100 votes on his confirmation to be the next Secretary 
of Defense.

  I hope and expect the vote on General Petraeus will be overwhelming 
as well. It speaks of the President's choices of such qualified and 
respected nominees and of their willingness to continue service.

[[Page S4257]]

  Quickly, I would also like to recognize a person who will be, as of 
tomorrow, the Acting Director of the CIA, Michael Morell.
  I notice that the vice chairman of our committee, the distinguished 
Saxby Chambliss, is on the floor. I believe both of us think that Mike 
Morell has given our Intelligence Committee nothing but the unvarnished 
truth. He has come in to meet with us; he has been prepared to answer 
questions; he has presented the facts. He is an articulate, strong 
briefer. He knows the Agency. I believe he is going to lead the Agency 
well until the beginning of September, as General Petraeus will 
complete his tour in Kabul in July, and then there will be a transition 
period as he returns home and resigns his commission. In the interim, 
Mike Morell will be in charge at the CIA. I think we both believe the 
Agency will be well served by his service as Acting Director.
  Finally, I want to thank Mrs. Holly Petraeus, the wife of David 
Petraeus and the Assistant Director of the Consumer Financial 
Protection Bureau, responsible for the Office of Servicemember Affairs.
  General Petraeus mentioned at his hearing that Holly has been with 
him for 37 years and 23 moves, and we thank her for continuing to share 
her husband with our country.
  Madam President, you and I both know how difficult it is when we have 
a spouse somewhere else, let alone having a spouse somewhere in great 
jeopardy in wartime far from America, in countries at which we are 
waging war, year after year after year. She, indeed, is a very special 
woman, and I think the general is very lucky to have her as his spouse.
  In the position of Director of the CIA, he will carry out one of the 
most important posts in our government. The Director is a senior member 
of the President's national security team and provides candid and 
objective analysis on every single national security issue this Nation 
faces. But the Director is also in charge of clandestine and covert 
operations around the globe. It is one of the reasons our oversight 
responsibility is so important in these areas: to see that the law is 
followed and to see that missions are carried out with the full 
oversight of our committee. The CIA Director is responsible for the 
security of the people of his Agency and for making sure their efforts 
are in keeping, as I said, with the Nation's laws and ethics. It is a 
unique and difficult combination of management, of intellect, and, most 
importantly, of character because things can go awry and one might 
elect not to follow the law. I believe that will not be the case with 
General Petraeus. I believe he will follow the law and he will do an 
excellent job. So I fully, 100 percent, absolutely support his 
confirmation.
  I am very pleased to yield the floor to the distinguished vice 
chairman of the committee, the Senator from Georgia.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia.
  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Madam President, first of all, let me thank and 
commend the chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence for her 
great work not only on this issue but on every other issue we have had 
the opportunity to work on together over the past 6 months. She has, 
No. 1, reached out to me and my staff every day to make sure we are 
doing the intelligence work in the way we both agree it ought to be 
done. She has done a magnificent job of leading the committee.
  The nomination of David Petraeus is a classic example of how she has 
led our committee; that is, we need a very smooth transition, a very 
quick transition when it comes to the leadership of the intelligence 
community. What Chairman Feinstein did was, as soon as the announcement 
was made on Director Panetta's move to be the nominee for Secretary of 
Defense and David Petraeus was going to be the nominee for CIA 
Director, she made sure all the background was done immediately so we 
could go ahead and schedule a hearing well in advance of the movement 
by Director Panetta to the office of Secretary of Defense, preparing 
for the confirmation of General Petraeus to be the next Director of the 
CIA. That is not always easy, but she made sure it got done.
  I wish to commend, too, the majority staff director, David Grannis, 
as well as the minority staff director, Martha Scott Poindexter, for 
their work in doing the background that was needed to be done to allow 
this nomination to move very quickly.
  It is a pleasure to work with Chairman Feinstein. She certainly has 
the best interests of America and Americans at heart from an 
intelligence standpoint, and she is doing a terrific job. It is a 
pleasure to work with her.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. I thank the Senator.
  Mr. CHAMBLISS. I also rise to speak in favor of the nomination of 
David Petraeus to be the next Director of the Central Intelligence 
Agency. General Petraeus has had an exemplary military career, and I 
look forward to his confirmation as the Agency's 22nd Director.
  Before I talk about him, I, too, would like to acknowledge his wife 
Holly for her service and support. In addition to supporting a military 
family during a number of long and unprecedented deployments and 23 
moves, Holly Petraeus has also worked to protect military families from 
predatory lending practices. I appreciate her longstanding commitment 
and support of our men and women in uniform and want to thank her for 
joining her husband in answering our Nation's call of duty.
  The strain on a military family cannot be overstated, and Holly 
Petraeus is certainly an individual who exemplifies everything that is 
good about how a military family needs to support the military member. 
I truly commend her for her great service to our country in that 
respect.
  The nomination of David Petraeus comes at a pivotal moment in our 
history as we face threats from across the globe. As a warfighter, he 
brings a unique perspective, having seen firsthand the tactical value 
of accurate and timely intelligence. This experience, in an era of 
unparalleled cooperation between the Central Intelligence Agency and 
the Department of Defense, will not only benefit the military and the 
intelligence community but also the American people.
  General Petraeus graduated from West Point in 1974, but he has spent 
the better part of the last decade on the battlefields of Iraq and 
Afghanistan. No matter what the task, David Petraeus has always 
answered this country's call. Most recently, after turning around the 
war in Iraq and putting us on a path to success, he left his position 
as commander of U.S. Central Command when he was again called upon for 
an unexpected deployment to Afghanistan. General Petraeus understood 
the importance of the mission and accepted the assignment with vigor.
  After leading the surge in Afghanistan, many expected him to retire 
from the military and public service, but not David Petraeus. He has 
decided to accept one of the most challenging positions in the U.S. 
Government. As Director of the CIA, General Petraeus will face a number 
of critical challenges, many of which cannot be anticipated. However, 
without a doubt, the threat from terrorism will remain the focal point 
for the CIA and for the new Director.

  The successful strike on bin Laden removed al-Qaida's leader but not 
the threat from terrorism. The al-Qaida core has been weakened, but 
their extremism and violence continues to spread through affiliates 
such as AQAP in Yemen and other like-minded radicals. General Petraeus 
understands these threats, and I look forward to working with him to 
make sure the Nation remains vigilant through these very uncertain 
times.
  I recall very vividly my first encounter with David Petraeus. It was 
in Iraq when he was in charge of the training of the Iraqi security 
police and the military personnel. I remember standing on a rooftop 
outside of Baghdad and observing an operation, a training mission that 
was going on where Iraqi security police and military personnel were 
interacting and carrying out this training mission with U.S. military 
personnel. Just being around David Petraeus that first day, you could 
sense there was something special and something different about this 
great leader. The respect he commanded from all of his subordinates and 
the respect he showed to his superior officers was evident, and it was 
pretty obvious there was something very unique about David Petraeus.

[[Page S4258]]

  Obviously, he has gone on to provide the right kind of leadership 
that America has grown to expect from our great military leaders, and 
certainly David Petraeus has exemplified the very best the U.S. 
military has to offer.
  It is also important that we note, as Chairman Feinstein stated, that 
there are some other folks who are moving to different positions or 
leaving public service who have been so valuable to the intelligence 
community.
  I have had the privilege of working with Secretary Bob Gates as a 
member of the Armed Services Committee on a fairly regular basis. 
Secretary Gates will be the first one to tell you, he and I have not 
always agreed on everything. That is part of what makes this 
institution work so well and what makes our country such a great 
country. But what a professional individual he is. He has provided the 
exact kind of service as Secretary of Defense that has been needed 
during his years at the Pentagon, which have not been easy years. These 
have been very difficult years to move through the Iraq situation, the 
surge into Afghanistan, as well as to deal with all the other myriad of 
issues--from personnel, to health care, to weapons systems--the 
Secretary of Defense has to deal with on a daily basis.
  I admire and respect Bob Gates so much, and obviously we certainly 
wish him the best in the private sector.
  Leon Panetta moving from the CIA to the office of Secretary of 
Defense is a natural. As I have stated on this floor previously, I will 
miss him as the Director because I think he has done such an exemplary 
job. He came in without a lot of the experience from an intel 
standpoint that some folks thought the Director should have. But having 
worked with Leon Panetta when he was Chief of Staff to President 
Clinton, having worked with him as Director of OMB under President 
Clinton, I knew what kind of man he is. I knew Leon would adapt very 
quickly, and that is exactly what has happened.
  He rolled his sleeves up and went to work. He has traveled around the 
world meeting not only with leaders of other nations, but he always 
makes sure he goes down and visits not just the station chief in the 
countries where he is visiting but the personnel who really are out 
there putting their lives on the line every day to try to protect 
America and Americans.
  He has certainly gained the respect of every individual at the CIA, 
as well as Members of this body. Not only has he gained respect, but 
the morale at the CIA today is probably the highest it has been since I 
have ever been involved over the last decade with the CIA. I think he 
has done a magnificent job, and he is going to do likewise as the 
Secretary of Defense.
  The chairman is right--Mike Morell stepping in for the next couple 
months will allow us to have a very seamless transition during the 
interim because Mike is such a gifted professional. He appears before 
the committee on a regular basis, and he does provide the direct, 
unfiltered, raw kind of information we need to hear. He is a great 
individual. He has been a great leader as the No. 2 person at the CIA, 
where he will continue to serve. During the interim, he is going to 
continue that kind of leadership we again have grown to expect from the 
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. So I am very pleased Mike 
Morell is in the position he is at this point in time so we will 
continue to have the right kind of leadership at the Agency.
  Let me say, we had a unanimous vote in the committee on reporting out 
the nomination of David Petraeus. I, like the chairman, hope we have a 
very outstanding, unanimous vote today for General Petraeus to be 
confirmed as the next Director of the CIA.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Madam President, I thank the vice chairman for his 
remarks. I would like to thank him also for his willingness to work as 
a bipartisan team, which, as he said, we have done. I think the 
dividends have been great for our committee in that we have been able 
to get an authorization bill passed, we have been able to effect some 
changes. We have been able to work together. Our staffs work together. 
In particular, I would like to thank Majority Staff Director David 
Grannis, and I would like to thank Minority Staff Director Martha Scott 
Poindexter for her work in this regard.
  I think it is extraordinarily important that Americans know there is 
in the Senate of the United States a team of oversight that is, in 
fact, working together on a true bipartisan basis.
  So I say to the Senator, Mr. Vice Chairman, thank you so much for 
that--it has been wonderful for me--and particularly for your 
friendship as well.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, I rise today to applaud the military 
service of GEN David Petraeus and voice my support as he transitions 
from leading our Nation's troops in Afghanistan to leading our Nation's 
intelligence professionals at the Central Intelligence Agency. He is a 
man of outstanding moral integrity who has had a distinguished career 
in the U.S. Army.
  Four years ago, General Petraeus was called ``General Betray Us'' by 
Moveon.org and other leftist groups. While I have always supported 
General Petraeus, others in this body have not. The general's rise, 
since 2007, to national prominence that supersedes party and ideology 
is indicative of the incredible nature of his service to our country.
  When analysts discuss success of the Iraq surge in 2007 and 2008, 
credit is given to counterinsurgency tactics or to counterterrorism 
tactics. The ``awakening'' of the Sunni leadership has often been 
touted as the decisive factor as has the marginalization of the Shia 
extremist militias. But I would submit to the Senate that the success 
of the surge had a singular root in the leadership of General Petraeus.
  After successfully leading U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq, our 
Nation once again called upon General Petraeus to lead combat 
operations in Afghanistan. As in Iraq, he developed and executed a 
strategy that took the momentum away from the enemy and began the 
process of providing a lasting stability in Afghanistan. General 
Petraeus has acknowledged that we have only begun to ``get the inputs 
right'' in that war-torn country. His leadership, rapport with the 
troops, interaction with our coalition partners, and efforts with the 
Afghan government have been decisive to the successes we have had in 
Afghanistan to date.
  General Petraeus now moves on to a new challenge. He will lead the 
Central Intelligence Agency, which is now rightfully riding high in the 
wake of killing Osama bin Laden. His nomination to this position is an 
inspired choice that I am very happy to support. In General Petraeus, 
we have a leader whom we can trust as our Nation continues to prosecute 
the global war on terrorism.
  Our Nation and its people owe General Petraeus and his family a debt 
of gratitude for their selfless service. They are an inspiration to 
this Nation, young and old, to spend their lives in service and support 
of our Nation--in the military where possible or in government service 
or private endeavors. There will be many speeches and many accolades 
for this inspiring leader, and rightly so. But let us give General 
Petraeus the tribute that any leader really craves--to look behind him, 
and see followers.
  Mr. LIEBERMAN. Madam President, it is my great honor to speak today 
in support of President Obama's nominee to be the next Director of the 
Central Intelligence Agency, GEN David Petraeus.
  I want to take a few moments to describe what, I believe, Dave 
Petraeus has meant to our country and why he will be a great CIA 
Director.
  GEN David Petraeus is the most distinguished general officer of the 
U.S. Armed Forces of his generation--and his generation has many 
impressive general officers. He is a true American hero who has twice 
been called upon by our commander-in-chief to assume leadership of a 
faltering war effort. And twice he has not only answered that call, but 
led our forces out of the jaws of defeat and onto the path of victory. 
To my knowledge, no one else in American history shares that record 
with Dave Petraeus.
  At a moment when cynicism too often infuses our national politics, 
and partisanship too often affects our national security, General 
Petraeus has

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won the confidence, gratitude, and respect of the American people--
Democrats, Republicans, and yes, Independents. While commanding our 
extraordinary military in wars that have divided our country, General 
Petraeus has inspired and united our American family.
  At a moment when too many of our fellow citizens fear our best days 
are behind us, General Petraeus' life and leadership have been a 
reminder that America is still a land of heroes--and that Americans are 
still very capable of achieving greatness.
  This special debt of national gratitude extends beyond Dave Petraeus 
to his family, beginning with his remarkable wife, Holly. Holly 
Petraeus shares her husband's strength of character, intelligence, and 
devotion to the cause of public service. As many of you know, she is 
currently leading a noble mission of her own--protecting our military 
families from exploitative and manipulative lending practices.
  By my rough calculations, General Petraeus has spent more than twice 
as many months deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan over the last 8 years as 
he has back home in the United States. Throughout all that time, Holly 
has been supportive of her husband's service and taken care of their 
gifted children. So today I know we all want to say: Thank you, Holly 
Petraeus.
  General Petraeus' background and accomplishments would make him a 
superb candidate for any of the top national security positions in the 
U.S. Government. But there are a special set of reasons why I believe 
he will make a truly superb Director of the CIA in this time of war.
  First, GEN David Petraeus is someone whose very name inspires the 
trust and confidence of America's friends, and the fear and anxiety of 
America's enemies. As our commander in Iraq, at U.S. Central Command, 
and now in Afghanistan, he has stood at the epicenter of some of our 
toughest, most intensive, and most effective counterterrorism 
operations. David Petraeus knows our enemies.
  At the same time, General Petraeus has also built close personal 
relationships with our key partners and allies in the Middle East, 
South Asia, the Euro-Atlantic community, and around the world. Dave has 
also proven himself to be a capable leader of large organizations, 
larger even than the CIA. And because he is a scholar as well as a 
soldier, he is well-suited to oversee and improve the critically 
important analysis done by so many who work at the CIA.
  After all he has done, General Petraeus would be well-justified in 
seeking a quiet, personal retirement now. But fortunately for the rest 
of us, service to a cause larger than himself is General Petraeus' 
creed and destiny. The brave and skillful men and women of the Central 
Intelligence Agency will be in very good hands when he is given the 
opportunity to become their leader, and all Americans will be fortunate 
indeed, and safer, when General Petraeus is at the helm there.
  And that is why I feel so personally honored to vote today for the 
confirmation of GEN David Petraeus to serve as the next Director of the 
Central Intelligence Agency.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Madam President, I am pleased to support GEN David 
Petraeus to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. For the 
second time in as many weeks, this body endorsed an exceptional nominee 
for a critical post. General Petraeus brings to his new position an 
incredible resume of warfighting knowledge and experience, strengthened 
by meaningful excursions into academia. After leading our troops in 
combat operations overseas for nearly a decade, I think he is well 
qualified to lead our foremost Intelligence institution to serve the 
needs of our Armed Forces and the Nation at large.
  One of the most respected military thinkers of his generation, 
General Petraeus literally rewrote the manual on counterinsurgency 
operations. Understanding that the ability to think is as critical as 
knowing how to fight, he translated difficult and sometimes 
counterintuitive principles into a winning formula for a flagging Iraq 
campaign. In his latest post, his leadership has inspired hope for a 
positive outcome to our endeavors in Afghanistan.
  Threats to our national security are ubiquitous, with those who plot 
against us living in all corners of the world and in the elusive halls 
of cyberspace. To defend our liberty and way of life, we rely on an 
intelligence service that is agile and proactive to swiftly defeat 
threats before they can harm us. General Petraeus has the rare 
combination of professional acumen and keen intellect to lead the 
Central Intelligence Agency in a way that anticipates the moves of our 
adversaries and keeps them off balance.
  General Petraeus and his wife Holly will again unselfishly answer the 
call of public service at a time when our Nation demands great leaders. 
After 37 years, they continue to serve with vigor and distinction and I 
look forward to following their continued success.
  Ms. SNOWE. Madam President, I rise today in ardent support of the 
nomination of GEN David Petraeus to be the 20th Director of the Central 
Intelligence Agency, CIA.
  First and foremost, General Petraeus deserves our Nation's unending 
gratitude for his unwavering commitment to this country over the nearly 
four decades that he has served in uniform. Since graduating from the 
U.S. Military Academy in 1974, General Petraeus has accumulated 
exceptional knowledge, acumen, and experience worthy of the legendary 
military giants who have matriculated at West Point. Throughout his 
long and distinguished career, he has demonstrated the highest levels 
of integrity and performance, exceeding our Nation's expectations time 
and time again.
  His numerous awards, distinctions, and decorations reflect the fact 
that General Petraeus is one of the superior military leaders of this 
or any generation, as he is the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for 
valor and two awards of the Distinguished Service Medal. His 
accomplishments extend beyond our own beloved shores around the world, 
as he has also received the Gold Award of the Iraqi Order of the Date 
Palm, the French Legion d'Honneur, the Polish Order of Merit, the Order 
of Australia, and the National Defense Cross of the Czech Republic. 
Such accolades are a testament to the extraordinary leadership of 
General Petraeus and speak to an individual whose name is synonymous 
with excellence and respect.
  One of the finest officers our Nation has produced, General Petraeus 
also possesses a brilliance that is only matched by his bravery. 
Consider just a few of the military milestones that have occurred under 
General Petraeus. He has directed operations that have halted and 
reversed the momentum in such Taliban strongholds as Kandahar and he 
positioned the United States to secure victory in Iraq when defeat 
often seemed inevitable. His tactical and strategic faculties are 
universally admired and are second to none. And as the commander 
leading U.S. and Coalition forces in both Afghanistan and Iraq, he 
clearly understands the absolute necessity of coordination between 
military special ops and intelligence covert actions--an imperative 
that was underscored with the remarkable May 1, 2011, take down of 
Osama bin Laden.
  And I would be abjectly remiss if I did not recognize General 
Petraeus's wife Holly, their son Stephen, who has followed in General 
Petraeus's footsteps by serving in the Army, including a recent tour in 
Afghanistan, and his daughter Anne. His assignments since September 11, 
2001, have taken him away from his family, far too often and for far 
too long. In fact, it is my understanding that General Petraeus has 
been deployed for more than 6\1/2\ years over the past decade, and I am 
sure that there have been many missed birthdays, holidays, and other 
family moments along the way. And so I would like to take an 
opportunity to acknowledge the family that has endured ``23 moves'' and 
state that all of you deserve recognition for your sacrifices and 
dedication to the Nation. Indisputably, our phenomenal military 
families at every level and in every branch of our Armed Forces are 
nothing short of indispensable to America's ultimate success in our 
missions. Our servicemen and women could not perform their duties as 
effectively without you nor could our Nation. Your sacrifices are your 
service and we cannot thank you enough.
  Today, the U.S. Senate considers General Petraeus to lead the CIA at 
a time when daunting challenges to our

[[Page S4260]]

national security threaten America's unique position and stature in the 
world, when the threat of retaliatory strikes in a post-bin Laden 
landscape are alarmingly high, when uprisings across the Middle East 
and northern Africa continue to spread, when Iran continues to flaunt 
its nuclear ambitions, when the makeup of the Libyan opposition is 
still unclear, when the threat of cyber intrusion and attack is 
distressingly persistent, and when Islamic extremists continue to 
control large swaths of territory in such locations as Yemen.
  Former Director--and now Defense Secretary--Leon Panetta has left the 
CIA on firm footing, having successfully rebuilt the agency's 
relationship with Congress, implemented efficiencies, and defended the 
best assets of the agency. General Petraeus will undoubtedly continue 
on this path, while striving to close such key intelligence gaps and 
others, as our security may depend on such efforts.
  General Petraeus also will be tasked with leading the agency during a 
time of national austerity. As Senator Feinstein, the chairman of the 
Senate Intelligence Committee, stated during General Petraeus's 
nomination hearing, ``the nation's economic and financial struggles are 
requiring a new level of fiscal discipline, which means that the major 
increases of intelligence resources since 2001--and the CIA budget has 
virtually doubled in that time--will likely end and the intelligence 
community will have to do more with less.'' The arduous calibration 
between seeking efficiencies to reduce costs without diminishing in any 
way the agency's pivotal role in the national security apparatus 
requires the discerning vision and deft judgment that have been 
hallmarks of General Petraeus's illustrious tenure in service to our 
country.
  General Petraeus must at the same time strengthen the bridges between 
our military commanders on the ground and the analysts in Washington. 
Intelligence assessments, which are so critical to the creation of 
sound policy, must accurately depict the situation on the ground and 
take into account the most recent tactical and strategic developments--
fortunately, General Petraeus is supremely positioned to understand the 
needs of those commanders and to ensure that our intelligence meets 
their needs. As he stated during his nomination hearing, General 
Petraeus intends to ``strive to represent the Agency position'' and 
``convey the most forthright and accurate picture possible.''
  Like my colleagues in this Chamber, I applaud General Petraeus, who 
upon assuming the directorship, has pledged to retire from the military 
to which has given every fiber of his being. He recognizes and 
understands the necessity for independence. General Petraeus stated 
that he has ``no plans to bring my military braintrust with me to the 
Agency'' and that he would ``in short, get out of [his] vehicle alone 
on the day that [he] report[s] to Langley'' underscoring that 
understanding and avoiding the mistakes of some of his predecessors.
  General Petraeus has described the professionals of the CIA as, ``the 
ultimate selfless servants of our Nation, individuals with 
extraordinary expertise, initiative, integrity, and courage in the face 
of adversity and physical danger.'' I could not concur with this 
assessment more, and frankly, we would be hard-pressed to find a 
nominee with stronger credentials than General Petraeus to lead this 
key national security organization.
  The trust and the confidence that are lynchpins of General Petraeus's 
sterling reputation among all who have served under him extend to the 
U.S. Congress and the President. There is no doubt whatsoever that the 
general will arrive at Langley with an unprecedented combination of 
intellect and courage, and without reservation of any kind, I could not 
be more pleased to vote to confirm General Petraeus as Director of the 
Central Intelligence Agency.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona
  Mr. KYL. First, let me acknowledge that two of the great leaders of 
the Senate have just made very ringing endorsements of General Petraeus 
to head the CIA, which we will be voting on in about an hour and a 
half. I associate myself fully with their remarks because they are in 
such a good position to know, as chairman and ranking member, 
respectively, of the Intelligence Committee.
  I think my colleagues will defer to their judgment about this. But 
more than that, most of us have gotten to know General Petraeus because 
he has been so involved in so many of the important policy decisions of 
this country, that we have all been able to form our own judgments and 
reach the same conclusion that the chairwoman and ranking member of the 
committee have articulated so well just now. I am glad to associate 
myself with their remarks.
  Noting that no one else is on the Senate floor to speak further about 
this nomination, I would ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning 
business for 10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

[...]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona.
  Mr. McCAIN. What is the pending business before the Senate?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Petraeus nomination. The Senator from 
Arizona is recognized.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to engage in a 
colloquy with the Senator from South Carolina.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. McCAIN. In a few minutes we will be casting, I am sure, a 100-0 
vote to confirm General David Petraeus as the new Director of the 
Central Intelligence Agency, and obviously his nomination is supported 
by all Members of the Senate, and I am sure all Americans, especially 
those, such as the Senator from South Carolina and myself, who have had 
the great privilege and honor of knowing General Petraeus for many 
years and watching him lead the men and women serving in our military 
in a fashion that I have never seen surpassed. The Senator from South 
Carolina has had the unique privilege and responsibility to serve under 
General Petraeus in uniform, because, as most of our colleagues know, 
the Senator from South Carolina also serves as a colonel in the South 
Carolina National Guard and in the legal corps as a JAG officer.
  The Senator from South Carolina has worked with General Petraeus both 
in Iraq and Afghanistan on many of the important issues concerning 
detainees as well as other issues. Before I ask the Senator from South 
Carolina for his comments, I wish to repeat what I said before. I don't 
believe that in my life, which has been blessed to know many 
outstanding military leaders of all branches of the service, I have 
ever quite encountered a military leader or civilian leader, for that 
matter, with the combination of charisma and intellect General Petraeus 
possesses. The Senator from South Carolina, the Senator from 
Connecticut, Senator Lieberman, and I had the unique opportunity, among 
many visits we made to Iraq and Afghanistan, one Fourth of July in 2007 
to be present at a reenlistment ceremony that took place in the palace 
in Baghdad. There were a couple of thousand spectators and there were 
well over 200 young men and women who had agreed to reenlist, to 
continue to serve in Iraq when they could have fulfilled their 
commitment they made to serve in the military and gone home to their 
families and a grateful nation. Instead, they chose to reenlist, to 
stay, and continue the fight. Part of that ceremony was to administer 
the oath of citizenship to over 75 people who were not born in the 
United States of America, who were not citizens, who were green card 
holders, who were legally in the United States as green card holders 
but had joined the military in order to serve and to achieve an 
accelerated path to citizenship.
  What struck me at that ceremony was that in the front row there were 
three empty seats with boots on them of individuals who were green card 
holders who were scheduled to take the oath of citizenship and who had 
been killed in the previous few days in action, serving their country 
in Iraq.
  I was privileged to speak. The Senator from South Carolina spoke. The 
Senator from Connecticut spoke. But when General David Petraeus spoke 
to those assembled men and women who are serving their country, it was 
very obvious of the not only respect but admiration every one of those 
young Americans felt for the inspirational leadership General Petraeus 
had provided them. I might point out it was a time when most experts 
and many politicians and Members of this body predicted the surge would 
fail. Well, I think what they didn't take into account was the 
incredible leadership and implementation of a strategy that was 
embodied by GEN David Petraeus and the young men and women who are 
serving.
  So I am confident as we continue the fight against al-Qaida and the 
radical Islamic extremists who want to attack and destroy our country, 
that now General Petraeus, soon to be Director of the CIA, will provide 
our Nation with the very best strategy, tactics, thought, and action to 
keep our Nation safe.
  I don't very often come and talk about nominees and spend the 
Senate's time, but I know I express the appreciation and affection of 
all those men and women, both serving now and in the past, who had the 
great honor and privilege of serving under General Petraeus and to wish 
him a well done and smooth sailing and following winds as he assumes 
his new responsibilities which will continue to keep America safe.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South Carolina.
  Mr. GRAHAM. I think our American military will be studying the 
Petraeus tactics and strategy that he implemented in Iraq and 
Afghanistan for generations to come. In January of 2007 when the surge 
was announced, I had had the pleasure of being over in Iraq in April, 
but I remember a letter issued by General Petraeus to all those under 
his command and it was basically entitled ``Hard is not Hopeless.'' He 
explained in great detail in the letter how we would move forward as a 
nation, that it would be difficult, it would be hard, but not hopeless. 
I have seen the inspiration he provides to our men and women in 
uniform, and I cannot tell you how much this country owes General 
Petraeus and his family. He has been deployed almost continuously since 
2001, but what he was able to accomplish in Iraq with the help of those 
under his command, he will be the first to say, they deserve the 
credit.
  And now Afghanistan. He came into Afghanistan under very difficult 
circumstances, losing a commander in the field. The progress in the 
last year has been stunning. The Taliban in the south has been knocked 
down hard. There is a 90,000 increase in the Afghan national security 
forces. We have a new training program to train Afghan security forces, 
and I think it will pay great dividends.
  To the President, you have chosen wisely in picking David Petraeus to 
be the Director of the CIA.
  I am confident Director Petraeus will do as good a job for the 
country as General Petraeus, and that is saying a lot. Following Leon 
Panetta, who did a great job, we are in good hands as a nation. I don't 
believe any single person understands the threats America faces better 
than General Petraeus. At the CIA he will have a chance to take the 
fight to the enemy in a different way. We will not have available 
forever 100,000 troops to be used in theaters of battle.
  We are going to bring our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan. I 
hope we do it smartly based on conditions. But this fight is morphing 
into other countries, Yemen, Somalia, the Horn of Africa, and the 
Nation is playing a more crucial role in our Nation's defense than at 
any time in the history of the CIA. We will be blessed to have

[[Page S4268]]

David Petraeus to be Director of the CIA. He understands the threats. I 
think he will be able to marshal the resources of the CIA to keep the 
enemies on their heels and to reinforce to our allies that we are a 
reliable partner and to our enemies there is no place you can hide. 
There is no passage of time that will keep you safe from American 
justice.
  I hope the Congress--I know Senator Chambliss will, the Senate in 
particular--will listen to General Petraeus, who will soon be Director 
Petraeus, about how to make sure the CIA is equipped and funded to take 
on the enemy. In this war on terror, we are fighting an idea. There is 
no capital to conquer, there is no air force to down, there is no navy 
to sink. We are battling an idea. And the way we ultimately become safe 
is to empower those who have the will to fight the terrorists in their 
backyard to provide them with the capacity to let the terrorists 
organizations know we will follow you to the gates of hell, that we 
will never relent. The CIA and the brave men and women who serve in 
that organization are becoming the tip of the spear in this battle. 
What happened in Somalia yesterday, what is going to happen in the 
future in Yemen and Somalia is a direct result of good intelligence and 
national will.
  To Senator McCain and those who have gotten to know General Petraeus, 
I can assure you that President Obama chose wisely. This is the perfect 
job for David Petraeus to take up for the Nation. He has the 
understanding of the threats we face and the CIA is the platform we 
will be using against the enemy more effectively than any other 
platform I know.
  With that, I look forward to casting my vote for Director of the CIA 
David Petraeus, and I hope everybody in this body will provide a vote 
of confidence to General Petraeus. He has earned this. America is in 
good hands with David Petraeus being the CIA Director.
  I yield. I note the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Under the previous order, the question is on the Petraeus nomination.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination 
of David H. Petraeus, of New Hampshire, to be Director of the Central 
Intelligence Agency?
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. Boxer), 
the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Leahy), and the Senator from New Mexico 
(Mr. Udall) are necessarily absent.
  I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from 
Vermont (Mr. Leahy) and the Senator from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) would 
each vote ``yea.''
  Mr. KYL. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from North Carolina (Mr. Burr), the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Inhofe), 
and the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 94, nays 0, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 104 Ex.]

                                YEAS--94

     Akaka
     Alexander
     Ayotte
     Barrasso
     Baucus
     Begich
     Bennet
     Bingaman
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Brown (MA)
     Brown (OH)
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Chambliss
     Coats
     Coburn
     Cochran
     Collins
     Conrad
     Coons
     Corker
     Cornyn
     Crapo
     DeMint
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Feinstein
     Franken
     Gillibrand
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hagan
     Harkin
     Hatch
     Heller
     Hoeven
     Hutchison
     Inouye
     Isakson
     Johanns
     Johnson (SD)
     Johnson (WI)
     Kerry
     Kirk
     Klobuchar
     Kohl
     Kyl
     Landrieu
     Lautenberg
     Lee
     Levin
     Lieberman
     Lugar
     Manchin
     McCain
     McCaskill
     McConnell
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Mikulski
     Murkowski
     Murray
     Nelson (NE)
     Nelson (FL)
     Paul
     Portman
     Pryor
     Reed
     Reid
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rockefeller
     Rubio
     Sanders
     Schumer
     Sessions
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Snowe
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Thune
     Toomey
     Udall (CO)
     Vitter
     Warner
     Webb
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--6

     Boxer
     Burr
     Inhofe
     Leahy
     Moran
     Udall (NM)
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sanders). Under the previous order, the 
motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table. The 
President will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
  (At the request of Mr. Reid, the following statement was ordered to 
be printed in the Record.)
 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I was absent for the rollcall vote 
on the nomination of GEN David Petraeus to be the Director of the 
Central Intelligence Agency. Had I been present, I would have voted 
``yea.''
 Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, today, I was unavoidably absent for 
vote No. 104. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on the 
nomination of GEN David H. Petraeus to be Director of the Central 
Intelligence Agency.

                          ____________________