Secretary of State
A spokeswoman for the department suggested his appearance would eliminate the need for Kerry to testify separately before a new House select committee established this month to also investigate the attack, which claimed the lives of four Americans at the U.S. diplomatic compound there.
"We have been clear that we're willing to work with the committee despite the fact that the Benghazi oversight has been consolidated under the select committee," Marie Harf told reporters at a State Department briefing. "We believe the secretary's appearance before [the oversight committee] will eliminate any need for the secretary to appear a second time before the select committee."
A spokesman for Rep.
The oversight committee, chaired by Rep.
Harf said that the State Department believed "there are more appropriate witnesses" to discuss the incident. Kerry was a member of the Senate at the time of the attack, which occurred during