IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 779 

Enforcing the Constitution’s separation of powers and the congressional prerogative of disclosure under the speech or debate clause by directing 

the Chairman and ranking minority member of the Permanent Select 

Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives to publish 

in the Congressional Record the 28-page chapter which was redacted 

from the December 2002 Final Report of the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks 

of September 11, 2001. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 13, 2016 

Mr. JONES (for himself, Mr. MASSIE, and Mr. LYNCH) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules 

RESOLUTION 

Enforcing the Constitution’s separation of powers and the 

congressional prerogative of disclosure under the speech 

or debate clause by directing the Chairman and ranking 

minority member of the Permanent Select Committee 

on Intelligence of the House of Representatives to publish in the Congressional Record the 28-page chapter 

which was redacted from the December 2002 Final Report of the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community 

Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001. 


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•HRES 779 IH 

Whereas in December 2002, the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001, chaired by then 

Representative Porter Goss (R–FL) and then Senator 

Bob Graham (D–FL) issued a Final Report, from which 

a 28-page chapter was redacted and classified allegedly to 

protect intelligence sources and methods; 

Whereas according to the Joint Inquiry, the redacted pages 

detail ‘‘specific sources of foreign support for some of the 

September 11th hijackers while they were in the United 

States’’; 

Whereas Senator Graham has described this 28-page chapter 

as a ‘‘smoking gun’’ that implicates Saudi Arabia in financing Saudi nationals complicit in the 9/11 international terrorist murders while residing in San Diego; 

Whereas this 28-page chapter is a congressional document 

and thereby the property of Congress, a fact confirmed 

by the Central Intelligence Agency in responding by letter 

to a Mandatory Declassification Review request on September 21, 2011, stating, ‘‘The U.S. Congress is the 

‘owner’ of this document. . . .’’; 

Whereas the Constitution’s separation of powers doctrine prohibits the President from classifying congressional documents or seeking to prevent Congress from disclosing 

congressional materials to the American people; 

Whereas there is substantial precedent for this resolution, 

such as the example of the Senate Select Committee to 

Study Government Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities (‘‘Church Committee’’), which in November 1975 published a report on ‘‘Alleged Assassination Plots Involving Foreign Leaders’’; 


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•HRES 779 IH 

Whereas, on October 31, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford argued to the Church Committee that, ‘‘It is my opinion 

that public disclosure now of information . . . concerning 

allegations of political assassination activities of the 

United States Government will result in grievous harm to 

the national interest . . . .’’, but Chairman Frank 

Church rejoined in defense of publication that ‘‘the national interest is better served by letting the American 

people know the true and complete story. A basic tenet 

of our democracy is that the people must be told the mistakes of their government so that they may have the opportunity to correct them.’’, and history proved President 

Ford wrong and Chairman Church right; 

Whereas the United States Supreme Court in Gravel v. 

United States, 408 U.S. 606 (1972), upheld the constitutional prerogative of Members of Congress or committees 

of Congress to disclose classified information under the 

speech or debate clause of article I, section 6, clause 1 

in the exercise of their oversight duties; 

Whereas the Chairman and ranking minority member of the 

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the 

House of Representatives, Representative Devin Nunes 

(R–CA) and Representative Adam Schiff (D–CA), who 

have jurisdiction of the issue, support declassification and 

publication of this 28-page chapter to the American people; 

Whereas an ambassador and Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia have urged declassification and publication of this 28- 

page chapter; 

Whereas former co-chair of the Senate Select Committee on 

Intelligence, Richard Shelby (R–Ala) has stated as regards to this 28-page chapter: ‘‘I . . . read every one of 


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•HRES 779 IH 

those pages thoroughly. My judgment is that 95 percent 

of that information should be declassified and become uncensored so the American people would know.’’; 

Whereas President George Washington in his Farewell Address warned against paying ‘‘habitual’’ homage toward 

any foreign nation; 

Whereas declassification and disclosure of this 28-page chapter might prompt Congress to alter the foreign policy of 

the United States toward Saudi Arabia; 

Whereas the American people demand justice and deserve to 

know the full story regarding the September 11, 2001, 

terrorist attacks; 

Whereas the families of the murdered victims and the survivors of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks deserve full and public disclosure of the entirety of the results of the Joint Inquiry Into Intelligence Community 

Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001, which was undertaken by Congress on 

behalf of and for the protection of the American people; 

Whereas sunshine is said to be the best of disinfectants; 

Whereas Government by the consent of the governed subordinates secrecy to transparency; and 

Whereas justice and truth must prevail over the embarrassment or protection of enemies of the American people 

that aided, abetted, or materially assisted the gruesome 

international terrorist murders of 9/11: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That not later than 7 days after the date 

2 of the adoption of this resolution, the Chairman and rank3 ing minority member of the Permanent Select Committee 


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•HRES 779 IH 

1 on Intelligence of the House of Representatives shall pub2 lish in the Congressional Record the 28-page chapter 

3 which was redacted from the December 2002 Final Report 

4 of the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities 

5 Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 

6 2001. 

Æ 


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