Hagan Meets with Leon Panetta

Statement

U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan, Chair of the Armed Services Emerging Threats Subcommittee, today met with Leon Panetta, current CIA Director and the President's nominee to serve as Secretary of Defense. Panetta will testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee at his upcoming confirmation hearing.

"Secretary Gates led the Department of Defense with honor and distinction in a time of great turmoil," said Hagan. "As a Senator from the most military-friendly state in the nation, I thank him for his service to our country and his unwavering support for our men and women in uniform. I wish him well as he moves on to his next endeavor.

"Leon Panetta's public service spans decades, and I am impressed with his experience as head of the Office of Management and Budget and his budget balancing work in the 1990s, as well as his recent leadership of the CIA. I am committed to working with DOD and my Senate Armed Services colleagues to ensure our troops have the resources and tools they need to complete their missions. I look forward to receiving his testimony during his confirmation hearing."

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