Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today praised an executive order expanding public access to secret government records related to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The order, signed today by President Biden, is based on the bipartisan September 11th Transparency Act, which requires federal agencies to conduct a declassification review of records related to the attacks.
“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. 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,” Grassley said.
The September 11th Transparency Act, led by Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and cosponsored by Grassley, would ensure that the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) declassify, as appropriate, the documents that could identify additional co-conspirators. Along with Menendez and Grassley, the bill is cosponsored by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.-08) will introduce companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
