i would and to ensure the best and brightest continue to fill our ranks a at nctc and i wouldt nctc and i'm interested equipped with the tools and the training they need to meet the threat. in my 23 years in government service i want a number that's working in different government organizations. no label means as much to me personally over that time as the label member of the counterterrorism community. everyday i'm privileged to work with truly outstanding friends and partners all across that community at fbi, cia, nsa, defense department, homeland security, justice, state, treasury, state and local partners, international partners, white house and here on capitol hill with you and your staff. a job for which i've been nominated demands very much but i'm thankful for the loving support of my family, my wife, parents. and i like to take this opportunity to thank her and thank them publicly today. they have always been there to support me as i pursued my career. i've been part of the family since its inception in 2004 even when serving president bush and president obama for soviets on th

were notknowledge nctc involved in any effort. i am not aware if elsewhere in the intelligence community there was such an effort, but not at nctc. >> when president obama created the 2009 guantanamo review task force to evaluate which be transferred or released from guantanamo, as wascall, the head of nctc the executive director of that task force. is that correct? >> yes. position. held that olsen has told me when the decision was made to exchange what had become known for the release of sergeant bergdahl that nctc was not consulted in that decision. to your knowledge, was anyone at nctc consulted? >> my understanding is that in the context, in the process of moving the transfer of those detainees, there was a request ,or an assessment from the odi and such an assessment was prepared, by another element of the odi and not at nctc. >> and that was despite the fact that nctcc was acting as the executive director of the commission -- of the task force? matt had that role in a previous time. in the current process, nctc is being ask

>> to my knowledge, nctc or any personal at nctc were not involved in an effort. i'm not aware if there was elsewhere in the intelligence community such an effort not at nctc. >> when president obama created a 2009 guantÁnamo review task force to evaluate which detainee could be transferred or release from guantÁnamo, as i recall, the head of nctc was the executive director of that task force, is that correct? >> yes. prior service, matt olsen held that position as chair of the task force. >> and matt olsen has told me that when the decision was made to exchange would have become known as the taliban five for the release of sergeant bergda bergdahl, that nctc was not consulted in that decision. to your knowledge was anyone at nctc consultative? >> my understanding is that in the context of in the process of moving to the transfer of those detainees, there was a request for an intelligence assessment from the odni, the intelligence community. such an assessment was prepared. it was prepared by another element of the odni, not at nctc. >> and that was despite the

in the nctc community. we understand both significant challenges remain. the terrorist adversaries we face are persistent and adaptive and so too must we learn and change to get better and improve everyday. we must match and exceed their determination to attack us with their own will to make certain that they don't succeed. in the current position i have as deputy director and acting director i'm reminded of 9/11 and the threat we face every single day and if confirmed by the senate would bring the focus and urgency born of that terrible day 13 years ago to everything i do as director. i would aim to ensure the best and brightest to fill our ranks at nctc and aim to ensure they are quick with the tools and training they need to meet the terrorist threat. in my 23 years in government service via in a number of hats working in different government organizations. no label means to me as much as the counterterrorism community. everyday i'm privileged to work with truly outstanding friends and partners all acros

nctc is a capable organization with excellent people. i fully expect you to lead and effect of agency under our watchful eye, but i can assure you that moving forward we are going to challenge you to improve the center and the search for efficiencies. tough going to ask th questions and ask you to be better, and i look forward to you giving direct and candid answers. i think that chair and pledge on behalf of vice chairman chambliss and the side of the aisle that you cannot move too fast on this nomination for us. >> thank you very much. would you stand, please, mr. rasmussen? would you repeat after me, i, rasmussen, do solemnly swear that i will give this committee the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me god? [indiscernible] >> you agree to appear before the committee here, do you agree to send officials from the nctc when invited, do you agree to provide documents or any other materials requested by the committee in order for it to carry out its oversight and legislative response ability -- response ability --

so that puts nctc at a uniquely danish position. now that obviously plays out -- that advantage plays out more profoundly when you talk about homeland threat for the bridge between domestic and foreign intelligence matters so much. i would not quibble at the talent capability or insight that analyst for most of my intelligence partners could very to the analyticaanalytica l effort on some of our key challenges overseas. i mean, during the period of -- just one example. during the period of our extended military afghanistan iraq among the defense department, defense intelligence agency analysts were doing terrific work. most of that with time on the ground and i would never do anything to suggest otherwise. to answer your question, it is access to information that makes a critical difference >> so, would you characterize the most unique thing has been able to see a bigger picture from multiple sources and particularly when we talk about a combination of foreign and domestic? >> is, i would. >> in your response to questions to the com

and i think nctc has released some information that i think accurately reflects our best knowledge as of today. >> as a reminder, can you please identify yourself, your organization when you direct your question? >> eric tucker with the "associated press." mr. attorney general, back to you, is it your sense the justice department lawyers will actually be crafting new statutes where none exist, similar to material support laws? is that sort of the overall premise here? >> there are a number of ways in which i think these prosecutors will be of use, as mr. williams indicated the possibility exists, we'd help with determinations as to where prosecutions would occur. also look at what you have raised, are there statutory changes that might be made in particular countries to increase the capacity of that nation to detect and then hold accountability peopaccountable people who would engage in tehee types of -- >> can you tell us how many are in this group and when they will begin their work here? >> how many --? >> how many prosecutors and advisers will be placed in these areas and when the

>> the booze allen report went far beyond scheduling system as did the nctc. specifically in the scheduling system for different tracks, i will call at three different tracks underway right now. a whole series of patches to the existing system. we are on the tail end of that within the next couple of months we will have completed all those patches. he won a contract for major enhancements to the scheduling system. those are supposed to start coming on line in the spring of 2015 so a near-term solution. those also include creating the ability for us to field some apps that have been created that will actually allow veterans to request appointment and one of the other apps allows veterans to directly schedule an appointment. we have to have the ability to catch it when the veteran since it and in parallel and we think we are literally a matter of days away from contracting action for the acquisition of a commercial off-the-shelf state-of-the-art scheduling system. now that system in all likelihood won't be up and running until sometime in 17 which is why we are

i think nctc has released some information i think accurately reflects our best knowledge as of today. >> please identify yourself. >> eric tucker with the "associated press." mr. attorney general is that your sense that justice department lawyers will actually be crafting new statute in the nations were not exist similar to the material support laws and is that the overall premise here? >> a number of ways in which i think these prosecutors will be used to help with investigations and determinations as to where prosecutions would occur. also look at what you have raised. are there statutory changes that might be made in particular countries to increase the capacity of that nation to detect and hold accountable people who would engage in these kinds of activities. >> mr. attorney general kevin johnson. can you tell us how many are in this group and when they will begin their work here? how many prosecutors and advisers will be placed in these areas? >> we can get you that information in terms of when they will actually be there in the overall numbers. we can get you that information.