[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 50 (Wednesday, April 29, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E708]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RETIREMENT OF FREDERICK P. HITZ, INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE CENTRAL 
                          INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. NORMAN D. DICKS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 29, 1998

  Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, on April 30, Fred Hitz will complete seven 
and one-half years in office as the Central Intelligence Agency's 
inspector general, and a career in the federal government which exceeds 
twenty years.
  In addition to service at the CIA before his confirmation as 
Inspector General, Mr. Hitz served in Republican and Democratic 
administrations in a variety of demanding positions at the Departments 
of State, Defense, and Energy. His tenure in each of these posts was 
characterized by uncommon dedication and exceptional performance. Mr. 
Hitz' experience in government, his first-hand knowledge of the unique 
aspects of working in the CIA, and the high regard in which he was held 
on Capitol Hill, made him an excellent choice in 1990 to be the CIA's 
first presidentially appointed inspector general.
  Inspectors general with independence guaranteed by the fact that they 
are appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the President are 
essential to the effective operation of executive agencies, and to the 
maintenance of the public's confidence that officials at these agencies 
will be held accountable for their actions. I suspect that only by 
serving in one of these posts could someone fully appreciate how 
difficult it is to function simultaneously as a senior manager, and an 
independent critic, of the same agency. As challenging as service as an 
inspector general must be at most agencies, it is even more so at the 
CIA where the need to compartment activities for security purposes 
makes it hard to trace the path of certain decisions, and where the 
inclination is not to volunteer information, especially to those not 
perceived to be part of ``the team.''
  Fred Hitz has worked tirelessly to create and sustain an inspector 
general's process which was supported both inside and outside of the 
CIA. That he has succeeded is a testament to his great ability and 
unquestionable integrity. The reputation which the Office of the 
Inspector General enjoys for conducting audits, inspections, and 
investigations which are thorough and follow the facts wherever they 
might lead, and for making tough recommendations for improvement 
regardless of their popularity, is a reflection of Mr. Hitz' leadership 
abilities. He will be sorely missed at the CIA, but his most important 
legacy may be the degree to which he has institutionalized in the 
inspector general's office his commitment to uncovering the truth.
  A graduate of Princeton University, Mr. Hitz will be returning to his 
alma mater, this time as a member of the faculty. Anyone who has heard 
or read Fred's views on subjects like the organization of the 
intelligence community, or the community's role in the post-Cold War 
world, knows him to be a person who gives important issues great 
thought and who expresses himself on them with clarity and care. He 
will be an excellent teacher from whom students at Princeton will learn 
a great deal.
  Mr. Hitz has served the country with great distinction. I want to 
wish him, and his wife, Mary Buford, only the best in the years to 
come. I hope that he will not mind an occasional call for advice from 
those of us who have come to rely on his counsel.

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