Congressman Silvestre Reyes, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence was the keyone speaker at the 'CIA's 2009 Annual Diversity Awards.'  Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

"Good morning.  It is always a pleasure for me to be here at CIA with some of our countries best and brightest.  Thank you Director Panetta for that introduction and I want to thank Ms. Kindsvater for her invitation to speak to you and recognize the four recipients of the 2009 Diversity Awards for Advancing Mission by Promoting Diversity.  Being the Special Assistant to the Director for Diversity, Plans, and Programs, Ms. Kindsvater’s proven leadership in the analytical field and as Dean of the Kent School for Intelligence Analysis, have uniquely prepared her for this position, and she has demonstrated her skillful leadership during these last 18 months.  Patty, thank you for your work. 

"However, before I talk about diversity, I want to take a few minutes to address something that some of you may not be aware is happening – a report that there is, shall we say, tension between your agency and congress, or more pointedly the Intelligence Committee.  Let me say this up front.  I, and every member I have spoken with, we are extremely proud of the work you do on a daily basis protecting this country.  So thank you. 

"The fact is, our system of government is structured so that there are built in tensions between the separate but equal branches of government.  

"The Intelligence committee is tasked with oversight of the Intelligence Community, and to do this thoroughly, which will then assist us in adequately resourcing you to do your very important job; we have to be aware of all significant intelligence activities.  I do not want to over simplify this issue.  It is a very serious one.
 
"What I want to say is that I do not want this to be a distraction to you.  You need to focus on your mission.  Your leadership will work with us, and the administration, as we find a way to ensure that we are all operating with the same information.

"Last comment on this; the media thinks they have the right story, but they, as you would expect, do not have all the facts.  The issue is oversight on the broad scale, but more importantly, information flow to this Committee and Congress.  We will be looking at how this is fixed, and not simply at what symptoms led to this problem.  So again, your jobs are too important for you to be distracted by what is speculated in the media.  Focus on what we know you are very good at, and let your leadership work with us as we find a resolution to this.  Well, enough on that. 

"As I said, I am very happy to be here today to talk to you about a subject that is very important to me, diversity.  Diversity has come a long way in the Federal Government, and I am the perfect example of that. There was a time several years ago that I, as a Border Patrol Agent, could not go into certain areas during operations because of my Hispanic background.  And now I serve as Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.  But I have to admit, I still wonder sometimes if I am going to show up on the no-fly list!  This shows that while we’ve come a long way, we still have a long ways to go.

"The American publisher Malcolm Forbes once said that “Diversity is the art of thinking independently together.”   This is the type of philosophy that can strengthen us as we work together in today’s dangerous world.  You in the CIA know this more than anyone.  As a result of your global presence, and your “diverse” mission, you have a lot to gain from a workforce that looks like, acts like, and hopefully in many cases, speaks like, the people you are targeting.  

"To get there, any effort to truly implement a diversity program must be leadership driven.  I know you have that here at CIA, as Director Panetta has told me people sometimes think he is Hispanic.  He is doing something though, and with your help, and emphasis from leadership, here at CIA as well as across the IC, we are making progress.  As Director Panetta reminded everyone in his statement on diversity, he is committed to “making [this] Agency look more like the country we protect and the world we watch” and has set a goal of a 30% diverse workforce by 2012.

"Reinforced by leadership from across the IC, Director Blair who also insists on fostering diversity through all facets, recruitment, development, and retention of individuals whose backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and ideas, will strengthen the IC we work in.
 
"So, with leadership support and the efforts that Patty is leading, change will come and it will make a difference.  We are seeing some of that difference today in the awards that will be given. 

"Diversity is not just something we pursue to make ourselves feel better; in light of the current war on terror, it is a matter of national survival.  But more than that, it is an indicator of who we are as a Nation.  We have made attempts along the way to make our nation more inclusive and diverse throughout the government, private, and public sectors and although it was not easy and not always accepted widely, we have grown tremendously because of our efforts.  

"It’s not quota’s we need to fill, its potential.  As leaders, you need to look deep in your ranks.  Find those employees who on the surface you may discount, for whatever reason.  This needs to be instituted in how you do business.   As leaders, make it a requirement for your subordinate supervisors.  Mandate it; put the requirement that it be addressed in the individual performance plan.  Through these efforts, you will achieve, as Patty’s office refers to it, “One Agency, One Team.”

"While the Intelligence Community has made some progress in hiring individuals with diverse backgrounds, education and experience, including more women and minorities, this progress has been very slow.  The Intelligence Community has been historically sluggish to recognize the wealth and abundance of talent and skills that reside in first, second and even third generation Americans.  We still do not have a workforce that looks like our country.  We are not even close. 

"I understand that the average male, non-minority analyst or collector may be extremely smart and well versed in a specific subject area- Islamic culture and teaching for example- he or she will not have the same understanding as a Muslim-American who actually lives these ideals and teachings on a daily basis. 

"I know this is not an easy task.  If it were easy, we would likely not be recognizing these recipients today, as we would probably not have to push toward diversity, we would be there.  And I know there are challenges, such as security clearances, especially in the potential to hire first generation Americans.  But we have to meet those challenges head on, and work through them together.  I need your input on these, and other critical issues, so that we can find a resolution together.

"I want to congratulate the four recipients today.  I want to thank Patty for her work, Director Panetta for his leadership, and most importantly, I want to thank all of you for everything you do on a daily basis.  Yours is a job that often goes unnoticed, and often without thanks.  There are many who will never know the work you do in protecting this country, but on their behalf, and I know this because I have had the honor of visiting your colleagues in some of the most challenging parts of the world, I want to thank you again.