(11.03.) Like so many things involving CIA, however, people read nefarious intentions into my decision to take my oath on an early draft of the Constitution that did not contain the Bill of Rights—our Constitution’s first ten amendments. At the risk of disappointing any conspiracy theorists who might be here today, let me assure all of you that I, along with my CIA colleagues, firmly believe in and honor not only the Constitution but also the Bill of Rights, as well as all subsequent amendments to our Constitution. (…)

Second, the CIA has more than enough current challenges on its plate, which is why—far more than any other institution of government—the CIA wants to put the rendition, detention, and interrogation chapter of its history behind it. The Agency’s detention facilities have long been closed. President Obama officially ended the program five years ago, by which time the CIA had ceased its interrogation activities. Over the past decade, there have been numerous internal and external reviews of the program, and the CIA has taken steps to address the shortcomings, problems, and performance deficiencies that became evident in those reviews.

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has conducted an extensive review of that program, a review that CIA has devoted considerable resources to supporting over the last several years. CIA has tried to work as collaboratively as possible with the Committee on its report. We will continue to do so, and I have talked extensively to Chairman Feinstein and Vice Chairman Chambliss about the report and the way forward.

CIA agrees with many of the findings in the report, and we disagree with others. We have acknowledged and learned from the program’s shortcomings, and we have taken corrective measures to prevent such mistakes from happening again.