CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE STATEMENT ON BENGHAZI SELECT COMMITTEE

May 6, 2014  

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a Senior Member on the House Homeland Security Committee, released the following statement regarding the Speakers appointment of a new select committee on Benghazi which is a monumental waste of time and taxpayer dollars:

“This week, Republicans are wasting time on more unnecessary, partisan distractions, when we should be focused on creating jobs and strengthening the middle class. To lead off the GOP’s week of smoke and mirrors, Republican leaders are gearing up to exploit the tragic deaths of four brave Americans in Benghazi. There have already been seven reviews of that terrible attack: one by the State Department Accountability Review Board, two bipartisan reviews in the Senate, and four reviews in the House. These reviews have produced more than 25,000 documents and dozens of interviews and testimony from high-level officials throughout the government. 

“Responding to endless, repetitive and partisan congressional requests has cost the Department of Defense and other agencies thousands of man-hours and expenses running into the millions of dollars. The Republicans’ proposed special committee is nothing more than an attempt to divert attention away from their own do-nothing record, and throw red meat to the most extreme and conspiracy-obsessed parts of their base. After almost 3 1/2 years, House Republicans have next to nothing to show for their time in the majority, aside from failed leadership, debilitating dysfunction, and the culture of crisis. Republicans’ reckless policies resulted in a first-ever downgrade in our credit rating and brought us the 16-day Republican Government Shutdown.

“The attacks in Benghazi were a tragedy and we join the families of those who died in continuing to mourn their loss.  As we go forward, we should always act in a manner respectful of their loss and to prevent future loss of life. There has been a review at the State Department by the Accountability Review Board.  There were two bipartisan reviews in the United States Senate, and four partisan reviews in the House of Representatives.

“The Do-Nothing Republican 113th Congress is setting a new low of obstruction and contempt for the priorities of the American people – refusing to create jobs, refusing to renew emergency unemployment insurance, refusing to raise the minimum wage, and refusing to address comprehensive immigration reform. It is time for Republicans to abandon their hollow and toxic partisan agenda, and work with Democrats to create jobs and build an economy that works for everyone – not just the wealthy.”

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