Republican leaders are coming under new pressure from conservatives to allow a House vote on legislation
that would form a special committee to investigate the Benghazi, Libya, attack.
Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas) is circulating a discharge petition that would force GOP leaders to allow a House vote on forming a committee to investigate events leading up to the terrorist attack last year on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, as well as the Obama administration’s response.
Conservative lawmakers have been pressing for the creation of a special committee, but GOP leaders have resisted, arguing existing panels can investigate the incident on their own.
If Stockman can get 218 House members to support his discharge petition, it would force a vote on the House floor.
Discharge petitions are very rarely introduced by members of the party that’s in power.
They invariably infuriate leadership since they’re a way to get around the scheduling process for bills, which is controlled by the majority leader, in this case, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.).
To promote his effort, Stockman, an outspoken freshman, will unveil on Tuesday a 60-foot-long scroll signed by 1,000 special operations veterans who support the select committee. Supporters tout it as the largest petition ever presented to Congress, and Stockman plans to unroll it down the Capitol’s steps.
“The only way we’re going to get a clean and thorough investigation is by forcing a vote with a discharge petition,” Stockman said in announcing his plan last week.
Read more:
http://thehill.com/blogs/global-aff...-60-foot-long-benghazi-petition#ixzz2Zp2vUWYT