Demanding answers, accountability

Over the past several weeks, many of you have shared with me your fears about the direction this White House is headed. Like you, I have serious concerns regarding the policies being pushed by the Obama Administration. The Constitution gives Congress the authority to provide oversight of the President and members of his Administration, and I’m committed to fighting against this kind of government overreach.

Earlier this year, I was chosen by my colleagues to serve on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which is responsible for conducting oversight, advancing transparency, and instilling accountability throughout the many federal agencies within the Obama Administration. As a member of the Committee, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in oversight hearings and demand answers from Obama Administration officials on recent reports of abuse.

Specifically, last month, the Committee held a hearing on the Benghazi terrorist attacks. Neither I, nor many of you, are content with the Obama Administration’s response to the consulate attack in Benghazi. I firmly believe that an attack on an American embassy is an attack on U.S. soil, and we should have responded accordingly. After listening to several hours of testimony, it’s clear from this hearing that these witnesses have provided critical information about the Benghazi terrorist attack that differs from what the Administration has stated.

I stand in full support of continued comprehensive investigations into the security failures that led to the Benghazi attack, and actions that could have been taken to save lives.

The information from witness testimony is critical so that we can provide the tools necessary to ensure that U.S. facilities located overseas are secure. I will continue to push the Administration for answers and the truth.

I also recently questioned Administration officials at an oversight hearing regarding the IRS targeting conservative leaning organizations who applied for tax-exempt status. Our country was founded on the basic principle that citizens would not be persecuted by the government for their beliefs or political affiliations. With this latest abuse of power, the Obama White House has violated the public’s trust, impacting people in Central Washington and many Americans across the country. While this hearing is the first step in ensuring the Administration follows the law, you may be certain that I’ll continue to support efforts to find out exactly what happened and hold those IRS officials accountable for their actions.