[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12981-12982]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               GENERAL LUTE TO BE ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT

  Mr. WARNER. Madam President, we have seen recently where it is the 
intention of the President to designate Lieutenant General Lute to take 
a position in the administration as an Assistant to the President and 
Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as 
working with the National Security Council. I have known this fine 
officer for some time. I have done an overseas trip with him to Africa. 
We went down to Liberia at a time of great trouble down there with a 
change in the administration. I have seen him working on the Joint 
Staff. I have had the opportunity to be briefed by him. I want to lend 
my strongest endorsement for this nomination.
  I also wish to have printed in the Record the history of how active-
duty military officers have been assistants to Presidents. I point out, 
from 1969 to 1970, General Haig was Military Assistant to the 
Presidential Assistant for National Security Affairs. General Haig then 
moved up in 1970 to be Deputy National Security Advisor. Then in 1973-
1974, he was White House Chief of Staff and, following that, he had 
other important positions.
  General Scowcroft, while on active duty, was Deputy National Security 
Advisor from 1973 to 1975. Admiral John Poindexter was National 
Security Advisor from 1983 to 1985, National Security Advisor from 1985 
to 1986. Lieutenant General Colin Powell was Deputy National Security 
Advisor in 1987 and then Colin Powell moved up to National Security 
Advisor from 1987 to 1989.
  I will have printed in the Record a list of those individuals who 
served our Presidents in the past in a comparable way.
  I think it would be advisable if the President were to determine that 
General Lute would have an exemption, a security exemption granted by 
the President, such that he does not have to respond to the committees 
of the Congress, to come up as a witness. Otherwise, he should get an 
annex office up on Capitol Hill to respond to the many inquiries that 
will be generated here on the Hill and focused on General Lute to make 
a response. I think he can be more effective to the President if he is 
given that waiver authority.
  I urge my colleagues to look with an open mind at this nomination. I 
spoke to Chairman Levin today. He indicated as soon as the papers were 
forwarded, our committee, the Senate Armed Services Committee, would 
review it in the context of our authority to review the change of 
position and assignments of general and flag officers. It is in that 
context that we would have a hearing

[[Page 12982]]

on this nomination. I hope thereafter we can report it to the floor and 
that the Senate will act favorably upon it.
  I thank the Chair for its customary indulgence on this, and thank my 
colleague from Connecticut. I ask unanimous consent that list be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Rank/name                   Position          From       To
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GEN Alexander Haig............  Military Assistant to      1969  1970
                                 the Presidential
                                 Assistant for
                                 National Security
                                 Affairs.
GEN Alexander Haig............  Deputy National            1970  1973
                                 Security Advisor.
GEN Alexander Haig............  White House Chief of       1973  1974
                                 Staff (Nixon).
LTG Brent Scowcroft...........  Deputy National            1973  1975
                                 Security Advisor.
ADM John Poindexter...........  Deputy National            1983  1985
                                 Security Advisor.
ADM John Poindexter...........  National Security          1985  1986
                                 Advisor.
LTG Colin Powell, USA.........  Deputy National            1987  1987
                                 Security Advisor.
LTG Colin Powell, USA.........  National Security          1987  1989
                                 Advisor.
LTG Donald Kerrick, USAF......  Deputy Assistant to        1997  1999
                                 the President for
                                 National Security
                                 Affairs.
LTG Donald Kerrick, USAF......  Deputy National            2000  2000
                                 Security Advisor.
GEN Michael Hayden, USAF......  Director of Central        2006  Present
                                 Intelligence.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                                 

                          ____________________