On the recordNovember 15, 2012
I wish to say a word about the tragedy that occurred in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11 where we lost a dedicated ambassador and three other American lives. It was awful. It has been nearly a decade since we lost an ambassador in service to our country, and it is something we are looking at with a great deal of sadness and sorrow that these individuals who dedicated their lives to America were killed in the course of duty. But this has gone from a tragedy in Benghazi to a major political debate in America. Part of it was explainable because it was in the closing days and weeks of a Presidential campaign when many times issues that don't reach national prominence become prominent because of the attention being paid to the candidates. And a lot has been said back and forth, and I have tried, as have other Members of Congress, to understand exactly what happened on September 11 in Benghazi. It is difficult because there wasn't a gathering of evidence immediately. Investigations were undertaken. It was chaotic at the scene that evening, and, sadly, many of the witnesses who could help us understand have disappeared into the night. But the effort has been undertaken to find out what occurred, to find out whether there was adequate protection for the Ambassador and his staff and, if not, what we should have done. I understand these tragedies require careful examination. I was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives when 235 U.S.…





