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WYDEN, LOTT SUPPORT 9/11 FAMILIES’
CALL TO DECLASSIFY ENTIRE COMMISSION REPORT
Senators’ letters to Commission,
White House urge “full access” to facts
May 12, 2004
Washington, DC – U.S.
Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Trent Lott (R-Miss.) today called
on the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United
States, more commonly known as the “9/11 Commission,”
to declassify and make public all sections of the Commission’s
upcoming report on the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and
the Pentagon. Wyden and Lott, members of the Senate Select Committee
on Intelligence, made the request after speaking with leaders
of the 9/11 victims’ families groups about their concerns
that some appendices and annexes to the Commission report are
to be kept under wraps as classified material. The Senators believe
that the entire report can safely be made public with appropriate
redactions for national security.
“Nearly three years after
the tragedies in New York, Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia,
families of the victims are still looking for answers about how
these attacks could have happened,” said Wyden. “I
believe they deserve the fullest accounting possible of the government’s
action to confront the terrorist threat before, during and after
the horror of 9/11.”
The text of the Senators’
letter is below.
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May 12, 2004
The Honorable Thomas H. Kean,
Chairman
The Honorable Lee H. Hamilton, Vice Chairman
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon
The United States – Room 5125
301 7th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20407
Dear Commissioners:
We look forward to learning
the results of your final deliberations this summer. It is our
view that the value of the Commission’s report to the American
public and policymakers would be enhanced by the subsequent public
release of all elements of the final report of the Commission
on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, including the declassification
of any classified appendices or annexes. It is our understanding
this request has already been made by the 9/11 victims’
families and we fully support their request.
Although declassification may
involve additional time and effort, we believe the full measure
and import of the Commission’s work will not be fulfilled
unless the complete report is available to the public. We believe
that the report declassifications can be accomplished through
redactions consistent with the protection of intelligence sources
and methods to protect national security.
The 9/11 families deserve no
less than full access to all the information regarding the murders
of their loved ones and on which the Commission based its findings
and recommendations. Without a complete, declassified accounting
of the Commission’s conclusions it is unlikely the American
people and their policymakers will be able to comprehend how the
September 11th attacks occurred and how best to respond to prevent
future attacks.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and await your response.
Sincerely,
| TRENT LOTT |
RON WYDEN |
| U.S. SENATOR |
U.S. SENATOR |
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