jonathan epstein is counsel for senator reed on the senate armed services committee, responsible for oversight over the department of defense and department of energy program as well as the dod missile defense and space and nonproliferation committee. and served as the council for oversight for the department of energy's civil and nuclear science based program. and last line before my colleague, is a staff member also with armed services committee and his areas of responsibility include nuclear forces, missile defense, nuclear propulsion, threat reduction, arms control and counter proliferation countering weapons of mass destruction and nuclear cleanup efforts. most recent adam was principal or acting principal of nuclear matters when the office of the secretary of defense and before that served in several positions at the office of secretary of defense and joint staff and departments of state. adam served in our armed forces as an army abrams tank crewman. please join me in welcoming our distinguished panel and we'll turn to madeleine for her opening remarks. >> thanks. [applause] >