SENATOR COLLINS’ REACTION TO CONFIRMATION OF GENERAL MICHAEL HAYDEN TO HEAD THE CIA

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Susan Collins, Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, today released the following statement following the full Senate vote to confirm General Michael Hayden as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).               “I am pleased that General Hayden received such a strong vote by the United States Senate.  I think he is going to do a very good job as the CIA director.               “I got to know General Hayden when I was working on the Intelligence Reform bill in 2004 and what I most admired about him was that he was so candid in the advice that he gave to me in drafting the bill.  At times, he took a position that differed from Secretary Rumsfeld.  I felt that showed great courage and it showed that he was willing to do what he thought was right.                “The CIA faces a lot of important challenges.  We need to rebuild the agency.  We need to make sure it is operating only within the confines of the law and I think General Hayden will do a very good job.”