Press Release - President Obama Announces Senator Chuck Hagel and Senator David Boren as Co-Chairmen of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board

Today, during a meeting with the senior leadership of the intelligence community, the President will announce that Senator Chuck Hagel and Senator David Boren will serve as co-chairmen of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.

"I'm very pleased that these two distinguished Americans have agreed to serve as co-chairmen of my Intelligence Advisory Board," said President Obama. "They have been leading voices on intelligence and security issues, and they represent the bipartisan consensus for a strong and smart national security policy. They have my full support, will report to me, and will have the full cooperation of my National Security Council staff and the organizations represented here."
"I appreciate the privilege and opportunity that President Obama has given me to co-chair the President's Intelligence Advisory Board," said Senator Hagel. "I look forward to working on behalf of our country to help build a more secure America. I am particularly grateful to participate in this effort with former Oklahoma Senator and Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman David Boren. His distinguished record of accomplishment and experience will provide strong and enlightened leadership for the Board. Working with Senator Boren and the other impressive members of the board we will make every effort to provide thoughtful, informed and independent advice to the President and his team."

"I am honored by the president's appointment to co-chair the President's Intelligence Advisory Board," said Senator Boren. "I appreciate the opportunity the president has given me to help in the effort to strengthen our national security. I'm especially pleased that former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, for whom I have great respect, will serve as the other co-chair. It is my hope that together, with the other members of the board, we can give candid, thoughtful, and nonpartisan advice, which will be helpful to the country. This part time advisory role, which is uncompensated, will in no way alter my plans to remain as president of the University of Oklahoma. I see this appointment as a chance to perform my duty as a citizen to serve our country."

BACKGROUND ON THE PIAB

President Eisenhower established the President's Board of Consultants on Foreign Intelligence Activities in 1956. The mission of the Board, now called the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, is exclusively to provide the President with an independent source of advice on intelligence matters, to include the:

•      Quality, quantity, and adequacy of intelligence activities;

•      Effectiveness of organization structure, management, and personnel; and

•      Performance of all agencies of the Federal Government engaged in the collection, evaluation, or production of intelligence or the execution of intelligence policy.

The Board reports directly to the President and focuses only on intelligence matters where it's unique contribution will add value to the President's deliberations. It has unfettered access to intelligence, is independent of the Intelligence Community, and free from day-to-day management or operational responsibilities. Members are distinguished private citizens appointed by the President from the national security, political, academic, and private sectors. They have a tradition of non-partisanship that has served the diverse interests of Presidents for more than half a century.

BIOGRAPHIES OF CO-CHAIRMEN

Senator Hagel served 12 years (1997 – 2009) on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and six years (2003 – 2009) on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Prior to his congressional service, he served as Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration. In Vietnam, Sergeant Hagel served as an infantry squad leader with his brother, Tom, where they were twice wounded together.

Senator Boren served 15 years in the Senate (1979 to 1994) and was the longest serving chair of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. During his six years as chair, he was the author of the legislation to establish an independent inspector general for the CIA and major reforms in the oversight of covert actions after the Iran-Contra affair. He was also the principal author of the National Security Education Act, which has sent more than 5,000 undergraduates and graduate students to study in countries where there is a shortage of expertise in the U.S. about the languages and cultures of those countries. It was the largest international education initiative by Congress since the establishment of the Fullbright Scholarships.

Expected attendees of today's meeting with the President in the Cabinet Room include the following administration officials and members of the intelligence community:

The President

The Vice President

Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff

Tom Donilon, Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor

John Brennan, Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism

Mike Epperson, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs

Mary DeRosa, Deputy Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs

Rouda Feghali, Director for Counterintelligence, NSC

Stefanie Osburn, Executive Director, PIAB

David Boren, Co-Chair, PIAB

Chuck Hagel, Co-Chair, PIAB

Dennis Blair, Director of National Intelligence

Robert Mueller, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Leon Panetta, Director, Central Intelligence Agency

LTG Ronald Burgess, Director, Defense Intelligence Agency

LTG Keith Alexander, Director, National Security Agency

VADM Robert Murrett, Director, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Gen Bruce Carlson, Director, National Reconnaissance Office

Doug Poole, Deputy Chief, Office of National Security Intelligence, DEA

Stanley Borgia, Acting Director, Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, Department of Energy

Bart Johnson, Acting Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Homeland Security

John Dinger, Acting Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of State

Howard Mendelsohn, Acting Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of the Treasury

LTG Rick Zahner, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army for Intelligence

Lt Gen David Deptula, Deputy Chief of Staff for the Air Force for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance

RADM Cynthia Coogan, Assistant Commandant for Intelligence and Criminal Investigations, U.S. Coast Guard

VADM Jack Dorsett, Director of Naval Intelligence

Brig Gen Vincent Stewart, Director of Intelligence, U.S. Marine Corps