agency, director the federal bureau of investigation and mike rogers, director of the national security agency. directors clapper and brendan, while i have said this to you before in closed session, this is likely your last appearance before the committee at least in your current roles and i want to thank each of you before you get out of here for your many years of dedicated service both in uniform and out of uniform, jim. john, in many different capacities you have served your country in an unbelievable way, both of you. and i want you to know how grateful we are to you and how grateful the nation is to you for your service. we convene today to discuss the russian activities into intentions in recent elections. while russia and the soviet union have used espionage as tools of statecraft, recent actions represent as you reported, a notable escalation and out of public disclosure of these activities surprised many and the nation that another state would at attempt to interfere in our elections is quite troubling. russian active member -- russian active measures is not new to the members of this committee. to better understa