thank you for the opportunity to testify this morning. >> thank you, miss strack. i note for the record that you and mrs. scalici joined together in preparing the written testimony, and so your testimony reflects the opening statements for both of you. i am grateful for your preparation for this and for your appearance here today. i now recognize myself for opening questions. let me begin first with the recognition that we have had some 68,000 iraqi refugees resettled in the country since 2007. what comfort can we have that there has been adequate screening, recognizing that many of those refugees were allowed into the country during aperiod of time during which there was a response to matters in iraq and less scrutiny that was given on the front end than may exist today? what comfort -- i am not in the business of asking for guarantees, but i would like to have you explain how it is that we can feel confident that we do not have a situation with 68,000 refugees who were allowed in the country in the last six years -- mr. bartlett? >> thank you, mr. chairman. if i

strack and ms. scalici, either of you who wants to add to this, i guess the implication on that is somehow there is a level of basic intelligence that exists which is higher in those countries that we have concerns about nefarious activity than in others, is that accurate? and how is that -- be responsive to my question. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i'd like to start with this briefly, operational response, and then invite my colleague to speak more in depth on the intelligence front. i would say operationally, what you're suggesting that the program ought to have heightened scrutiny on iraqis is, in fact, what happened. this was a chronology, and when the united states government announced large-scale resettlement of iraqis in 2007, we immediately looked at what should we be doing in light of this particular population, which was different, the nation out of we've not been reselling a great deal. we look at what enhancement we could bring on board that would address this new population. and that's w

strack's responsibilities include managing the refugee corps and headquarters staff to support the u.s refugee admission program by conducting overseas adjudications and through related policy training, quality assurance, antifraud and national security efforts. .. and state, local, tribal and private sector partners. prior to joining dhs, ms. scalici served as the director for production and strategic program at the cia's office of iraq analysis. where she oversaw current and strategic analysis in iraq and led efforts to advance planning, analytic trade craft, and community collaboration. she earlier served as deputy director for mission management of the national counterterrorism center helping oversee national intelligence related to counterterrorism mission. this is the least is a 29 year veteran of the cia. -- ms. scalici is a 29 year veteran of the cia. it would be greatly appreciated if you would be aware that your testimony is important to us, but we try to work within the time parameters. so i know you will be guided otherwise having submitted written testimony as well. so i n