January 7, 2013

 Washington, D.C.—Nevada Senator Harry Reid issued the following statement after President Obama nominated former Senator Chuck Hagel to be his next defense secretary and John Brennan, currently his counterterrorism adviser, as CIA director.
 
“I applaud President Obama for his thoughtful choices to head the Pentagon and the CIA. I’ve worked extensively with these two nominees and have always found them to be men of integrity and dedication. Both will be effective leaders in the positions to which they have been nominated.
 
“Senator Hagel has a deep understanding of the national security establishment, which grew out of his experiences as a decorated war veteran, a former member of the Senate’s Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees, and a member of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. Few nominees have such a combination of strategic and personal knowledge of our national defense needs.
 
“John Brennan’s current role as a top national security adviser to the President, and his 25 years of service at the CIA, make him a very qualified candidate for a job vital to our national security. He has been part of a team that in recent years successfully rolled back terrorist threats to America and its allies, such as the operation that eliminated Osama bin Laden.
 
“I trust that all Senators will give these two men a fair and constructive confirmation process. The Senate takes seriously its role in advice and consent and I expect that this body will live up to this tradition and responsibility.”

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