Darrell Issa: “I wish my colleague had stayed for a little longer because I would like to change his mind as to why I am doing it, what…”

“I wish my colleague had stayed for a little longer because I would like to change his mind as to why I am doing it, what I am doing, and what the purpose would be. My office has been in pretty constant contact with many of the families--more than 10 of them--of the 13 who lost their lives in the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Many of the individuals, the family members have asked specific questions that have never been answered, and they continue to want to have specific questions answered, particularly and including, obviously, individuals, what we knew about them, how they came to be released, a lot of the activities that went on. Now, some of it will have to be transmitted on a classified basis, but most of it can be given to the committees of jurisdiction openly. Those families, the families of the 13 and the families of all of the others who have lost their lives, deserve closure. I believe that although the special IG and lots of other organizations have done a lot of good work, much of it is not yet available to Congress, and as a result, not available to the families or to the American people. For that reason, I crafted this multipage amendment specifically and narrowly to ask for information that to a great extent has not yet been granted, which the Department of Defense has. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”