We welcome the report of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. In this important report, the PCLOB confirms that Section 702 has shown its value in preventing acts of terrorism at home and abroad, and pursuing other foreign intelligence goals.

Consistent with 50 U.S.C. 3306(a), the Director of National Intelligence disclosed to the public on March 6, 2014, the aggregate amount of appropriations requested for Fiscal Year 2015. The amount of $45.6 billion excluded funding required to support overseas contingency operations. That disclosure is now updated to include funding requested to support overseas contingency operations.

On March 28, 2014, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) declassified and disclosed publically that the U.S. government had filed an application with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) seeking renewal of the authority to collect telephony metadata in bulk, and that, on March 28, 2014, the FISC renewed that authority.

Earlier this year in a speech at the Department of Justice, President Obama announced a transition that would end the Section 215 bulk telephony metadata program as it previously existed, and that the government would establish a mechanism that preserves the capabilities we need without the government holding this bulk data.

I am pleased to announce that I have selected Dr. Gregory Treverton to serve as the next chairman of the National Intelligence Council. Greg brings a unique combination of world class analytic skills, a vast network of global thought leaders and practical experience working in government at the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the National Security Council and the NIC as the former vice-chairman.