by Patrick Leahy

About the author: Patrick Leahy, a U.S. senator from Vermont, is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Since [the] summer [of 2001], the Senate Judiciary Committee has been holding regular oversight hearings on the future of the FBI as it prepares for the challenges of the 21st Century. . . . [This April 9, 2002], hearing, [“FBI Reform in the 21st Century: Lessons from the Hanssen Espionage Case”], is a stark reminder that some of the challenges facing the FBI are as old as the Republic. Today, we focus on the role of the FBI as a protector of the highly classified secrets that are the crown jewels of our national security. The report by the Commission chaired by Judge William Webster, unfortunately, demonstrates the vulnerability of the FBI in fulfilling this...