Rep. Elise Stefanik (RN.Y.) has been appointed to lead the Bipartisan House Permanent Selection Committee on Intelligence Report Review of the 9/11 Committee Report.
Stefanik’s office indicated that the committee will evaluate any advancements regarding the recommendations made for the intelligence community in the original 9/11 Committee Report.
The report, which spans 585 pages, was released back in 2004. It outlined that “agencies responsible for border protection, civil aviation, and national security failed to recognize that threats to the U.S. existed before the attacks.”
This report has also shed light on previous restrictions imposed on the intelligence community, including agencies like the CIA and the FBI, that limited their counterterrorism efforts during the 1990s and early 2000s. The report noted, “A confluence of competing priorities, stagnant budgets, undervalued structures, and bureaucratic rivalry resulted in an inadequate response to emerging threats.”
Additionally, the document called for the creation of the National Counterterrorism Center, which was established in August 2004, along with the role of a director of national intelligence, finalized in December 2004. It emphasized the importance of unifying the intelligence community through a network-based information-sharing system that goes beyond traditional governmental boundaries.
This Thursday marks the 24th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks. According to the 9/11 Memorial Museum, 2,977 individuals lost their lives that day, including 2,753 in New York, 184 at the Pentagon, and 40 in Pennsylvania on Flight 93.
In a statement, Stefanik expressed that she was “honored” to head this review.
She will lead the working group alongside Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.). Both are members of the House Selection Committee, which is currently chaired by Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.).
“As we approach the 25th anniversary of one of the darkest days in U.S. history next year, it’s essential that the intelligence community is equipped to stay ahead of rapidly evolving threats,” Crawford stated in the announcement. “While the nature of threats has changed, our missions remain unchanged. We must prevent another disaster by ensuring we can connect the dots.”
The release noted that the working group plans to conduct public and private events, hearings, and briefings to gather insights. They aim to deliver practical recommendations by September 11, 2026, marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
Stefanik was nominated by President Trump in November 2024 for the position of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, but her appointment was later withdrawn in March due to concerns within the GOP about the party’s slim majorities.
