Clinton to testify on Benghazi next week

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will testify next Wednesday on the Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, incoming chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) announced late Monday.

Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans died in the attack on a U.S. mission in the restive Libyan city. Republicans have assailed the administration for failing to provide adequate protection to its diplomats and for initially saying the attack was linked to a peaceful protest.

“I appreciate Secretary Clinton’s desire and willingness to testify before the Committee as we continue to examine this deadly terrorist attack in an effort to ensure that nothing like it happens again,” Royce said in a statement. “My intention is for this hearing to focus on why this attack was not better anticipated, what leadership failures at the State Department existed, and what management deficiencies need to be corrected in order to better secure our diplomatic facilities abroad and protect our diplomats serving in them.

“It is important to learn all we can about what happened in Benghazi because at the end of the day, it could happen again. After all, al-Qaeda plans attacks over and over again.”

The committee has already convened two hearings on the attack. Clinton missed last month's hearing after suffering a concussion.

Clinton is also expected to testify next week before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before turning over the State Department reins to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), its current chairman.

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