John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, on Wednesday praised Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Justice Department for looking into cases of leaked classified information.
"When people disclose America's most sensitive national security information there has to be consequences," Ratcliffe said on Fox News, according to The Washington Times.
"Members of the committee, we had about nine open investigations of classified leaks in the last three years. We have 27 investigations open today. We intend to get to the bottom of these leaks," Sessions said in his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, according to CNN Money.
"We intend to get to the bottom of these leaks," he added. "I think it has reached epidemic proportions. It cannot be allowed to continue and we will do our best effort to make sure that it does not continue."
Ratcliffe added on Wednesday, "that's one of the things I was most comforted to hear from the attorney general was that they're 'pedal to the metal' with respect to holding people accountable for those types of violations in law, which are the most serious and the most damaging to our national security."