Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced that on Thursday, July 18, he will convene a hearing to examine the problems in establishing accountability within the State Department for the security failures that led to the terrorist attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi, Libya.

The hearing, entitled “Benghazi: Progress on State Department Accountability?,” will begin at 10 a.m.

Chairman Royce on the hearing: “The State Department’s internal review of the terrorist attacks in Benghazi, known as the Accountability Review Board (ARB), was incomplete.  The Board declined to interview the Department’s senior-most officials, including former Secretary Clinton.  At this hearing, the Committee will hear from Raymond Maxwell, who was placed on administrative leave following the release of the ARB report, and who maintains that he has been wrongly accused for poor security conditions at the U.S. diplomatic facility in Benghazi.  

“This hearing will examine the State Department’s ARB inadequacies, including whether the appropriate employees have been held responsible for the security failures in Benghazi.  Improving and strengthening future ARB investigations will help avoid tragedies like Benghazi.” 

What:
Hearing: “Benghazi: Progress on State Department Accountability?”

When:
10 a.m., Thursday, July 18

Where:
2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Witness List:

Mr. Raymond D. Maxwell
Foreign Service Officer, and
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Maghreb Affairs
U.S. Department of State

The Honorable Ronald E. Neumann
President
American Academy of Diplomacy
(Former Ambassador to Algeria, Bahrain, and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan)

Witness to be named
American Foreign Service Association

***See foreignaffairs.house.gov for updates.

***Coverage note:  All Foreign Affairs Committee proceedings are webcast live at foreignaffairs.house.gov/live-video-feed.

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