The recent terrorist attacks in Kenya have reminded us that al-Qaeda-linked terror groups remain very active and very deadly. Americans recently observed the 12th anniversary of the September 11th attacks that forever left a scar on our national conscious and initiated the global war on terror that we continue to fight today. And just over a year ago, on September 11, 2012, Americans were shocked by the tragic terrorist events in Benghazi, Libya.
Americans have vowed never to forget September 11, 2011; I also believe that we should not forget the four brave Americans who died on that September night in Benghazi. Just as our intelligence community responded more than a decade ago and thoroughly investigated a crime that cost 3,000 American lives, we as a nation have an obligation to get to the bottom of the terrorist attack in Benghazi.
Those Americans who lost their lives that day in Benghazi are: Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Information Officer Sean Smith and embassy security personnel Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, both former Navy SEALS.
Unfortunately, since the very beginning, the Executive Branch has failed the memories of the fallen in Benghazi. I am pleased that my colleagues in the House have stepped up the pressure on an administration that, for two weeks, publicly blamed a videotape on the attacks, even though intelligence sources knew from the very early stages of the attack that terrorism was to blame. And this was just the start of a litany of inconsistencies and questionable statements from the administration and the president.
Recently, I co-sponsored a House Resolution that would establish a House Select Committee to investigate and report on the Benghazi attack. This Select Committee would be tasked with investigating any intelligence related to the attack and it would seek to establish a definitive timeline and determine if the proper conduct was undertaken by the relevant agencies following the attack. Also, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has held five committee investigations to try and find more answers and it is my personal belief that there is far more to this entire tragic affair than we have discovered so far.
I also believe that despite all the testimony we have heard from State Department officials, we still have not been presented with the important details of this attack. The administration has been withholding 25,000 unclassified documents from the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, forcing them to request them by subpoena. We need to hear more from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other State Department leadership that have been, for the most part, completely uncooperative in getting to the bottom of this situation. As a Missourian, I believe that when you are in a leadership position, ultimately the buck stops with you and I believe Clinton owes the American people an explanation as details continue to emerge on Benghazi. My hope is that politics does not get in the way of finding out what happened to the four Americas who lost their lives. Meanwhile, those who were responsible for the murder of the four remain at large, at least one of which is hiding in plain sight by appearing in media reports and accepting responsibility for the murders. It is an outrage.
Missourians and all Americans deserve answers to the haunting questions that remain about the tragic day and it all comes down to responsibility. There are still serious questions that have to be answered and rest assured I will continue to work to ensure that those who murdered four brave Americans, and those who failed to act in their defense, are all held accountable.
