Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has agreed to publicly testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the latest U.S. policy developments in Iran and Iraq.
In an announcement Tuesday evening, committee Chairman Rep. Eliot L. Engel, New York Democrat, said he had spoken to the secretary personally after Mr. Pompeo rejected repeated requests to appear before the panel.
Mr. Engel said the hearing will be “separate from our annual budget hearing,” and that he will announce the hearing date soon.
The confirmation of Mr. Pompeo’s upcoming public appearance comes nearly a month after the U.S. launched an attack that killed a top Iranian general. Iran later responded with an attack on a U.S. air base in Iraq that caused traumatic brain injuries in 34 American troops. No casualties were reported.
Lawmakers have raised questions about the lack of information that was given to congressional leadership in the aftermath of a week of tension and military exchanges involving the U.S., Iran and Iraq — as Democratic leadership argued the strike was conducted without congressional approval.
Members of the House and Senate have received classified briefings on the details surrounding the strike from top administration officials — including Mr. Pompeo who maintained the move was due to an “imminent threat.” But many lawmakers criticized the briefings as inadequate.
The House committee had invited Mr. Pompeo to field questions in an open hearing on the situation with Iran that was scheduled for Wednesday. The hearing has since been postponed.
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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