Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez
JERSEY CITY, N.J. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) today applauded President Biden for signing an Executive Order directing a declassification review of key 9/11-related documents that could finally identify and bring to justice all of the perpetrators of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The Executive Order is based off the senator’s bipartisan and bicameral September 11th Transparency Act that he introduced last month.
“For nearly 20 years, the U.S. Government deprived 9/11 families and survivors of critical information that could shine a light on who is responsible for the death of their loved ones,” said Sen. Menendez. “This is long overdue and I appreciate President Biden taking the steps to provide 9/11 families the transparency they deserve, and that my September 11th Transparency Act calls for. There is still a long way to go to ensure that all those responsible for the attacks are held accountable, but I hope this action provides some comfort to the families during this painful anniversary.”
In August, Sen. Menendez unveiled the September 11th Transparency Act alongside survivors and families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks. The bill would require the DOJ, the CIA and the DNI to conduct a declassification review of key documents related to the federal 9/11 investigations. The bill doesn’t require the agencies to declassify any specific documents, but the agencies must complete declassification reviews through their appropriate existing processes.
Sens. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) sponsored the bill in the Senate. Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.-08) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
“The families of those murdered on 9-11 have waited far too long for these documents to be declassified by the federal government, and I salute President Biden for doing the right thing,” said Sen. Schumer. “Keeping those documents under lock and key has been a disservice to the families of so many brave and innocent men and women who lost their lives on that horrific day. Today’s executive action by President Biden is a step in the right direction to ensuring any remaining documents be released once and for all.”
“The victims and survivors of 9/11 and their families have struggled for years to achieve some measure of transparency and accountability from our government, which has shrouded documents and evidence in secrecy and failed to provide any explanation or justification for continuing to withhold them,” said Sen. Blumenthal. “President Biden’s Executive Order, which closely tracks our September 11th Transparency Act, is essential to determining whether or not these documents really need to remain secret. As the 20th anniversary of the attacks approaches, the American people deserve to know what their government knows about these attacks and the survivors and victims’ families deserve their fair day in court.”
“The public has waited nearly 20 years for a full picture of everything that led up to the attacks on September 11, 2001, including everyone involved in funding, planning and perpetrating these horrific acts of terrorism,” said Sen. Grassley. “I joined a bipartisan effort to push for additional transparency, and I’m grateful today’s executive order will begin to pull back the curtain on the 9/11 records so that victims’ families, survivors and all Americans can expeditiously get the answers and justice they deserve.”
“After two decades of waiting, the U.S. government has finally taken an important step to provide access to information that will help families in New Jersey and across our nation pursue justice for those they tragically lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks,” said Sen. Booker. “I applaud President Biden for issuing this order that will provide 9/11 families some solace as we approach the 20th anniversary of that fateful day.”
“I am grateful for President Biden’s executive order, which will help give Americans the transparency they deserve about September 11th,” said Sen. Gillibrand. “For years, I’ve worked with my Senate colleagues to improve transparency surrounding federal investigations of 9/11. Now, twenty years after this horrific attack, this executive action will bring some measure of justice and accountability for survivors and families.”
The senator penned an op-ed today in The Bergen Record calling for the declassification of 9/11-related documents and the passage of his bill.
Sen. Menendez has continuously championed greater transparency regarding federal 9/11 investigations and has advocated on behalf of the survivors and victim’s families to ensure they get the answers they deserve.
In July, Sens. Menendez and Blumenthal sent a letter to Attorney General (AG) Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray to review past decisions to invoke the state secrets privilege. Similarly, in June, the senators co-led a letter with Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.-10) to AG Garland urging him to reassess the DOJ’s decision to assert the state secrets privilege in litigation brought by 9/11 victims and family members.
In May 2020, Sens. Menendez, Blumenthal and Booker released a statement in support of 9/11 families’ efforts to obtain relevant documents from the FBI. In 2018, Sen. Menendez cosponsored a resolution urging the declassification of information regarding the 9/11 attacks.