wiesner. >> thank you chairman nadler, chairman conyers and distinguished members of the subcommittee. i appreciate this opportunity to explain the acod a's interest in reforming the state's secrets privilege in issue of critical importance to all americans concerned about the unchecked abuse of power. i also want to commend chairman nadler and the co-sponsors of the protection act, h.r. 984. if enacted would place reasonable checks and balances on the executive branch reempower courts to exercise independent judgment cases of national importance and protect the rights of those seeking redress for court system. more than 50 years of passed since the supreme court formally recognize the state's secrets privilege in the united states versus reynolds. during that time congress has never legislated to place reasonable restraints on the use of a privilege or to provide standards or guidelines to increasingly confused and divided federal courts. congress basa once on this critical issue has become all the more troubling in recent years as we have seen the state's secrets privilege mutate fr