After sweeping victories in the midterm elections in November, Republicans padded their majority in the House of Representatives and seized control of the Senate for the first time since the 2006 elections.
When the new Congress was sworn in on Jan. 3, Sen. Richard Burr (’78), North Carolina’s senior senator, became the new chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
The committee is tasked with overseeing the U.S. government’s intelligence community.
This new role has given Burr a unique platform to offer insights into the various national security challenges the U.S. faces. Thus far, he has not been shy in voicing his opinions on issues including the controversial report detailing CIA interrogation techniques, the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran, as well as the spread of militant Islam in the Middle East and Africa.