WASHINGTON – Congressman Tim Griffin (AR-02) issued the following statement after the House passed H.Res. 567 to establish a new select committee to investigate the September 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that claimed the lives of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens:
“For almost two years, the American people have called on this Administration to provide answers about the events surrounding the terrorist attack in Benghazi. The recent findings that the Administration withheld from Congress certain email correspondence brings into question their previous responses on issues related to the Benghazi attack. The families and loved ones of the victims deserve justice, and the Administration must be held accountable. I have actively supported establishing a select committee to investigate the attack, and this vote today is a critical step toward transparency, accountability, and getting the American people the answers they deserve. I am certain that my good friend Trey Gowdy will serve America well as the Select Committee Chairman.”
H.Res. 567 establishes a select committee on the events surrounding the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi. The resolution directs the Speaker of the House to appoint twelve members to the committee after consulting with the House Minority Leader regarding five of them. On May 5, 2014, Rep. Trey Gowdy (SC-4) was selected to chair the select committee and will have subpoena and deposition authority.
The resolution directs the committee to conduct a full investigation focusing on nine areas and issue a final report to Congress. It also authorizes the committee to study sources and methods used by the CIA, the Director of National Intelligence, and the National Intelligence Program in relation to the investigation.
Previously, Rep. Griffin was an original cosponsor of similar legislation, Rep. Frank Wolf’s (VA-10) H.Res. 36, which would establish a select committee that would include the chairmen and ranking members of the current five committees investigating the attack and include seven additional members of Congress.
In January, Rep. Griffin sent a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy urging them to support the establishment of a select committee to investigate the terrorist attack in Benghazi. It also requested that House leaders “pursue Congressional authorization to allow our military to utilize all available options to bring those who planned and carried out this tragic attack to justice.” The full text of Rep. Griffin’s letter is linked here: [PDF].
