On October 2nd, the Oversight Committee held a hearing to examine the mission and performance of private military contractor Blackwater USA in Iraq and Afghanistan. Erik Prince, the owner of Blackwater, testified as well as three State Department officials.

The hearing addressed three key questions: (1) Is Blackwater's presence advancing or undermining U.S. efforts? (2) Has State Department responded appropriately to the shooting incidents involving Blackwater forces? (3) What are the costs to U.S. taxpayers for the reliance on Blackwater and other private military contractors?

Chairman Waxman also released a memo that provides details of Blackwater Flight 61, which crashed in a remote area of Afghanistan on November 27, 2004, killing members of the flight crew and three U.S. military personnel. A transcript of this hearing is now available.

The following witnesses testified:

• Erik Prince, Chairman, the Prince Group, LLC and Blackwater USA


• Ambassador David M. Satterfield, Special Adviser, Coordinator for Iraq, Department of State


• Ambassador Richard J. Griffin, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Diplomatic Security and Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, Department of State


• William H. Moser, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Logistics Management, Department of State