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Press Release Published: Apr 12, 2017

Oversight Chairmen Request Information on Chemical Weapon Agreement with Syria

Letter asks State Department for Obama-era documents

 WASHINGTON – Yesterday, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and National Security Subcommittee Chairman Ron DeSantis (R-FL) sent a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson requesting documents and communications related to a 2013 chemical weapons deal made between the Obama Administration and Syria. 

 The letter states: “President Barack Obama, rather than take meaningful steps to deter Assad from using chemical weapons again, opted for a feckless diplomatic response wherein the Syrian regime turned over its chemical stockpiles for destruction. This approach failed.”

 Documents requested by April 26, 2017:

  • All documents and communications referring or relating to the 2013 agreement with Russia and Syria.
  • All documents and communications referring or relating to violations by the Assad regime communicated to the Department of State and the Administration’s response.
  • All documents and communications referring or relating to the chlorine gas attacks in 2016.
  • All documents and communications referring or relating to progress checks and verification of weapons removal communicated to the Department of State.
  • All documents and communications between then-National Security Adviser Susan Rice and the Department of State referring or relating to the Administration’s media strategy and how the Administration related the story to the American public.

Full text of the letter is here