statement for the Record

Ms.

Susan .Gibson

Nominee for Inspector General of the National Reconnaisseunce Office
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
7

June 2016

Chairmen Burr, Vice Chairman Feinstein, and distinguished members
of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you

today as you consider my nominatipn to be the Inspector General for
the National Reconnaissance Office (NRG). I also appreciate the
opportunity I've had to meet privately with several of you to hear
your concerns and your goals for the NRG and the Intelligence
Community. I am deeply honored to have been nominated by the President
for this position, and I am grateful for the support and encouragement
I have received from Director Clapper and Director Sapp. If confirmed,
I look forward to working with you, with Director Sapp, and' with the
fine women and men of the NRG and the NRG Inspector General's Gffice
to further the NRG's mission.

I appreciate the opportunity to introduce my husband of 35 years,
Tim. Tim and I met in high school and both had full Army careers,
supporting each other along the way and raising two daughters we're
extremely proud of: Katie and Joanna, who are both here in spirit, but
busy with their full and interesting lives. I would also like to take
a moment to thank my parents, but particularly my mother, Claudette
Greene.

I am the first person in my extended family, which included

my brother and sister and nearly 20 cousins, to graduate from college.
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I could never have accomplished this without the love and support of

my remarkable mother, who is now 80, but like the rest of my family,
still leading a busy life.

I would also like to recognize my friends,

my co-workers, and my many mentors throughout my career. As one of my
mentors is fond of saying, life is a team sport and "there is no end
to what we can accomplish if we don't care who gets the credit." I
couldn't agree more, and am very thankful for the wonderful team that

helped me along the way.
The majority of my 30-plus year career has been in the national
security field, with the last 15 years largely concentrated on the
intelligence community. My 22 years in the Army included a broad range
of military legal practice, to include criminal law and

investigations, government contracting and fiscal law, international
agreements, domestic and international crisis response, privacy and
civil liberties, human intelligence operations, and rule, of law. As
part of the original legal team for the Director of National

Intelligence (DNI), I have provided support to all four DNIs and have
touched on virtually every aspect of the mission. I helped stand up
the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and

assisted with drafting multiple Intelligence Community Directives and
related policies, helped re-write Executive Order 12333, and regularly
provided advice and counsel as the ODNI worked through many.issues

affecting all seventeen Intelligence Community elements. As a result
of these experiences, I am well grounded in intelligence law and
-po-l-i-eyT—^and—in—many—other—a-reas—o-f—taw—reievant—to—NRO'-s-mis-si-on—to
include fiscal law, and government procurement law and procurement
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integrity. Most important, during my years in government I've learned
and relearned the importance of conducting a careful and unbiased
analysis of the facts and the law, acting with integrity and honesty,
and proceeding with openness and inclusion.

These are the foundations

of "good government," and are also foundatibnal to conducting
effective oversight.

The NRO Office of Inspector General continues to enjoy a

reputation for exciellence in its oversight activities, all while

undergoing a series of transitions, to include numerous changes in
executive leadership.

I recognize that, if confirmed, this committee

will have high expectations for my performance and the performance of
the office.

I share those same expectations.

If confirmed, I pledge

to continue the office's legacy of excellence by providing principled
and steadfast leadership, and strategic vision.

My experience at ODNI has made me acutely aware of the essential
role of the NRO in the national security of this country and also
aware of the growing risks to NRO's mission.

It has also sensitized

me to the need for strong oversight of NRO's processes and its mission
execution.

If confirmed,

I will use my many years of experience to

identify opportunities to reduce risks and to improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of the NRO.

I also recognize and embrace Congress' need to exercise effective

oversight of the NRO, along with the rest of the Intelligence
Community.

Congressional oversight is fundamental to the checks and

balances established in our Constitution and the only way the

Intelligence Community can effectively operate in our open and
democratic society. If confirmed, I will fully support the NRO IG's
notification and reporting obligations and keep the NRO's oversight
committees fully and currently informed.
I am under no illusion that fulfilling the responsibilities of

this new position will be easy. If confirmed, I pledge to do my very
best as I continue to serve my nation.

Thank you again for your consideration of my nomination.