WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Stephen F. Lynch (D-Boston) released the following statement in response to the decision to declassify the 28 pages of the 9/11 Joint Congressional Inquiry. Congressman Lynch is a longtime advocate of full declassification after reviewing the classified document and speaking with families of victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks. In 2013, Congressman Lynch and Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC) introduced a resolution calling for the President to declassify the 28 pages. H. Res. 14 has garnered support on both sides of the aisle with more than 70 bipartisan cosponsors. In June, Congressman Lynch, Congressman Jones, and Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced H. Res. 779, which urges the House Intelligence Committee to publish the 28 pages. Last week, the members held a press conference urging swift passage of the resolution.
“I am extremely pleased that these 28 pages are being released. I am especially happy for the families of the victims and the American people as a whole. Releasing the contents of the 28 pages will answer some of the many questions that remain. It may help us at last hold those who are responsible accountable. Through the passionate advocacy of victims’ families and some of my colleagues in Congress including Congressman Jones and Congressman Massie, we finally will have greater transparency about the investigation into the circumstances surrounding September 11th. I have been told by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence that the document is being forwarded to Congress with ‘light redactions.’ I am hopeful these redactions do not diminish the probative value of the report. Our national security is of the utmost importance and the contents of the 28 pages can play a critical role in informing our counterterrorism and foreign policy decisions moving forward. I extend my thanks to President Obama for initiating the review and for the decision to make these pages public.”