Sen. Mark Kelly was appointed to the Senate Choose Committee on Intelligence on Tuesday, changing the late Sen. Diane Feinstein.

Kelly, a former Navy fight pilot, stated “I take critically the accountability of overseeing and supporting our intelligence operations, particularly as we face complicated threats to our personal nationwide safety and the protection of a few of our closest allies.”

“Our potential to outmaneuver adversaries like Russia, China, Iran, and their proxies relies on our intelligence neighborhood at all times being one step forward,” the Democrat stated in a information launch.

“I’m trying ahead to working with Chairman Warner and Vice Chairman Rubio, and bringing my expertise as a fight pilot and member of the Senate Armed Companies Committee to this necessary work,” he stated.

“It’s not misplaced on me that I’m filling a emptiness created by the passing of Sen. Feinstein, who chaired this committee for six years and left a legacy of strengthening our nationwide safety and upholding our nation’s values,” he stated.

The 17-member committee units the budgets for and supplies oversight of U.S. authorities intelligence packages, evaluates nominees to serve in intelligence positions, and is usually briefed on intelligence stories and strategies. Committee members are usually knowledgeable of U.S. covert actions, and any intelligence failures.