[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 114 (Friday, August 2, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H5377-H5379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        DIRECTION OF OUR COUNTRY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2013, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King) is recognized for 
60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Mr. KING of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege and honor to be 
recognized to address you here on the floor of the United States House 
of Representatives and to be able to cover some of the subject matter 
that sets the stage and the tone and some of the things that I think we 
should be thinking about as we take this traditional August work period 
and go back to our individual districts and hear from our constituents.
  There are a number of us that have constituents that have guided this 
country in the right direction, that have given considerable 
contribution to this Nation, and I think it is an appropriate time for 
us to commemorate some of those individuals as well as highlight some 
important agenda moving into the other side of Labor Day.
  To begin that process, I am pleased to yield to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Flores) to address this topic matter.
  Mr. FLORES. Mr. Speaker, on July 30, our Nation lost Ronnie Jackson, 
a community treasure of Bryan, Texas. Mr. Jackson was a long-time 
public servant in the role of Neighborhood and Youth Services Director 
for our city. Mr. Jackson passed away at the age of 63 after fighting 
lung cancer for 17 months.
  Mr. Jackson spent his life as an educator and worked tirelessly for 
many organizations, including the MHMR Authority of Brazos Valley, the 
Boys and Girls Club of Brazos Valley, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of 
Brazos Valley. He also spent time volunteering at programs for youth, 
seniors, and in neighborhoods throughout the community. Mr. Jackson was 
recognized for his service when he was a 2010 national finalist for the 
Jefferson Award, which is the Nobel Prize for community and public 
service.
  He was well known in Bryan and impacted the lives of many throughout 
the community. Ever selfless, even while battling cancer, Mr. Jackson 
still made time to work and serve in his community. He was described by 
many as hardworking, devoted, and a kind man. In fact, Bryan City 
Secretary Mary Lynne Stratta said in a newspaper interview earlier this 
summer that Mr. Jackson was the heartbeat of the programs that he led.
  My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Mr. Ronnie 
Jackson. He will forever be remembered as an outstanding husband and a 
community servant. Bryan, Texas, and all of the Brazos Valley are a 
better community because of him. God bless his family and our community 
as we mourn his passing.
  Mr. Speaker, before I close, I ask that all Americans continue to 
pray for our country during these difficult times and for our military 
and first responders who protect us abroad and at home.
  Mr. Speaker, on July 26, our Nation lost a great American, Mr. George 
P. Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell was a revolutionary energy pioneer, 
philanthropist, and Texas A&M graduate, class of 1940. He was 94 years 
old and passed away on July 26, 2013.
  Mr. Mitchell was a native of Texas, born in Galveston, and later 
attended

[[Page H5378]]

Texas A&M University, where he worked his way through school, studied 
petroleum engineering and geology, and graduated top of his class. 
Throughout his life, Mr. Mitchell upheld the Aggie core values of 
excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect, and selfless 
service.
  After attending Texas A&M University, Mr. Mitchell served as a 
captain in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. He 
later built his own company, Mitchell Energy & Development, which was 
responsible for over 550 significant oil and gas discoveries.
  Mr. Mitchell led the way in the energy business with his 
groundbreaking innovations which contributed to the expanded 
application of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. In 
addition, he is the catalyst behind many significant improvements to 
these technologies for over three decades. He is the man behind this 
energy revolution we have today that is putting us on the path to 
energy security in America.
  In addition to his pioneering influence in the energy sector, Mr. 
Mitchell provided leadership in community development and service. He 
developed the Woodlands, a 27,000-acre community north of Houston. He 
used $50 million of his personal money to renovate landmarks in 
Galveston and founded the Houston Advanced Research Center, which is a 
nonprofit scientific and research facility. He has also benefited 
higher education through his family's gifts of tens of millions of 
dollars to our alma mater, Texas A&M University.
  My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Mr. George 
Mitchell. He will forever be remembered as an outstanding husband, 
outstanding father, an outstanding Texas Aggie, a Texas businessman, an 
American energy leader, and a community servant.

                              {time}  1300

  Mr. KING of Iowa. Reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from 
Texas for bringing these two individuals before this Congress and 
commemorating their contributions and their lives to this country.
  And one individual that has been making a contribution in each of his 
days and years here in Congress is the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Wolf), who, Mr. Speaker, has taken the lead on the Benghazi issue. And 
he has consistently, persistently and relentlessly illuminated the 
reasons for us to take a much closer look and dig into the bottom of 
Benghazi.
  I'd be happy to yield as much time as the gentleman from Virginia may 
consume to address that topic.
  Mr. WOLF. I want to thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King) for the 
time. I am very grateful. Thank you.
  Mr. Speaker, last evening, CNN reported startling new revelations 
about efforts by the CIA to prevent agency employees and contractors 
from speaking to the press and Congress about the terrorist attacks in 
Benghazi last September.
  According to CNN:

       Since January, some CIA operatives involved in the agency's 
     missions in Libya have been subjected to frequent, even 
     monthly polygraph examinations, according to a source with 
     deep inside knowledge of the agency's workings. The goal of 
     the questioning, according to sources, is to find out if 
     anyone is talking to the media or talking to Congress.

  This report confirms what I have been saying for months: survivors of 
the attack are being silenced. By failing to have public hearings over 
the last year, the Congress has empowered the government to silence the 
eyewitnesses from the attack. This is unacceptable.
  The CIA says that the agency ``employees are always free to speak to 
Congress if they want.'' However, the reported monthly polygraphs 
clearly contradict these assertions.
  Just listen to the following comments reported by CNN. ``You don't 
jeopardize yourself, you jeopardize your family as well,'' one CIA 
source told CNN.
  ``You have no idea the amount of pressure being brought to bear on 
anyone with knowledge of this operation,'' another said.
  According to a separate report by Fox News this morning, ``At least 
five CIA employees were forced to sign additional nondisclosure 
agreements this past spring in the wake of the Benghazi attack,'' 
confirming what I said on the House floor on July 18.
  Four Americans were killed in a terrorist attack on two U.S. 
facilities. Seven Americans were wounded, some severely. Another two-
dozen could have been killed that night, but for the sacrifices made by 
Ty Woods, Glen Doherty, Dave Ubben and untold others who deserve to be 
recognized for their heroic acts.
  Why are these heroes being told not to talk?
  What is the administration afraid of?
  What is it protecting?
  Nearly 6 months ago, I wrote Secretary Kerry, asking for the names 
and contact information of the State Department employees who were in 
Benghazi last September. The Department refused to provide this 
information, or even confirm the number of those wounded and the nature 
of their injuries.
  I again made this request to Secretary Kerry earlier this month and, 
once again, the Department refused. During a July 24 State Department 
press briefing, the Department spokesman again made excuses for not 
providing this information to Congress and, once again, used the FBI as 
an excuse not to cooperate, stating, ``we have serious concerns about 
the survivors' welfare and want to be careful not to interfere with the 
FBI's investigation of the attack.''
  And then asserting, ``There are no Department employees who want to 
tell their story that are being obstructed from doing so by the 
leadership of the State Department.''
  How can the Congress know the survivors don't want to speak with 
Congress if they can't learn who they are and ask them?
  Are we really to take the administration's word for it?
  Nearly every day, for the past 3 weeks, I've come to the floor to ask 
questions that should be answered by now. These have ranged from 
whether there was an intelligence failure that night to who was 
responsible for the U.S. response--the State Department, Defense 
Department, or the CIA, to just why we had such a large CIA presence 
operating in Benghazi in the first place.
  The failure to provide answers to the American people, despite nearly 
a year of investigations, makes clear the need for a new approach. I 
believe the best path forward is a dedicated, bipartisan House select 
committee with full subpoena authority to hold public hearings and 
issue a public final report.
  One hundred sixty two of our colleagues, nearly three-quarters of the 
majority, agree, and that is why they have cosponsored H. Res. 36, to 
create a bipartisan select committee.
  This effort has been supported by the family members of the Benghazi 
victims, the special operations community, the Federal Law Enforcement 
Officers Association, which represents the diplomatic security officers 
that were in Benghazi, as well as the editorial page of The Wall Street 
Journal.
  With such a broad range of support, it begs the question, why not?
  What are we afraid of from a full investigation and public hearings?
  The House ``interim progress report'' on Benghazi was released on 
April 23. When will the final report be released?
  H. Res. 36 would mandate a final report within 90 days. It would also 
have full subpoena authority to compel sworn testimony from all 
witnesses. It would bring together the best investigators from all the 
committees in the House, and it would use existing resources.
  It would not duplicate effort. It would build on the work that's 
already been done over the past year. Iron sharpens iron.
  When we return from August recess there will only be 2 days, 2 days 
until the 1-year anniversary of the Benghazi attacks. Can any Member 
here confidently say they know what happened that night?
  Can any Member honestly say, with reports like the one CNN did 
yesterday, that this Congress has done everything it can to allow the 
survivors to come forward and tell their story?
  Witnesses need to be subpoenaed. I'm talking about friendly subpoenas 
to the survivors and those career Federal employees in theater and in 
Washington who witnessed the response or lack thereof that night.

[[Page H5379]]

  Some have argued we shouldn't issue subpoenas until we know what a 
witness will say. That won't work, especially given the nondisclosure 
agreements and polygraphs being deployed to silence them. And they need 
to speak publicly, because speaking behind closed doors offers them no 
protection.
  My congressional district includes the CIA and a number of other 
intelligence agencies. Throughout my career, I have talked to and 
worked with countless career Federal employees and contractors working 
for intelligence agencies. I know the pressure they're under to stay 
silent, even if they have information that the Congress and the 
American people need to hear.

  They need the protection of a subpoena. There is no other way.
  Until we hear in public from these witnesses what happened that 
night, we'll never be able to answer the many unanswered questions I 
have raised daily on the House floor over the past 3 weeks, which I'm 
submitting together today for the Record.
  September 11 is fast approaching. Will we continue on our current 
path and learn from forthcoming books written by survivors and 
sanitized by the CIA?
  Or will we create a select committee to subpoena witnesses to testify 
under oath at public hearings?
  I thank the gentleman for yielding the time.

                          ____________________