◆ SpookStack

ALL Ih. JRMATION CONTAINED HEREIN 13 UNCLASSIFIED DATE G6-12-2O07 BY 65179 DMH/ESR/IW 1073946 Good morning Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Smith, and Members of the Committee. It is my pleasure to appear before you today to discuss the recent report by Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector Genera] (OIG) regarding the FBI's use of national security letters (NSLs). The OIG's report is a fair report that acknowledges the importance of NSLs to the ability of the FBI to conduct the national security investigations that are essential to keeping the country safe. Importantly, the OIG found no deliberate or intentional misuse of the national security letter authorities, Attorney General Guidelines or FBI policy. Nevertheless, the OIG review identified several areas of inadequate auditing and oversight of these vital investigative tools, as well as processes that were inappropriate. Although not intentionally, we fell short in our obligations to report to Congress on the frequency with which we use this tool and in the internal controls we put into place to make sure that it was used only in accord with the letter of the law. Director Mueller concluded from the OIG's findings that we must redouble our efforts to ensure that there is no repetition of the mistakes of the past in the use of these authorities and I share his commitment. I would also like to acknowledge the role of Congress and the effectiveness of congressional oversight in surfacing the deficiencies raised in this audit, which was called for in the USA PATRIOT lmprovement and Reauthorization Act. The report made ten recommendations in response to the findings, designed to provide both the necessary contrels over the issuance of NSLs and the creation and maintenance of accurate records, The FBI fully supports each recomumendation and concurs with the Inspector General that, when implemented, these reforms will ensure full compliance with both the letter and the spirit of the authorities entrusted to the Bureau. National Security Letters