About a year ago, Americans started seeing more media coverage of scandals involving the IRS’s targeting of conservative groups and the State Department’s continued lack of honesty about the events in Benghazi, Libya.

     Both of these issues deserve more attention than they have gotten. Unfortunately, from my view and from many others across East Alabama, the Executive Branch has yet to take sufficient action to get to the bottom of either.

     At least the House of Representatives stepped up to the plate. As Congress sought answers, Lois Lerner, the former IRS official, refused to testify before House Committees.

     By treating conservative tax-exempt groups unfairly, the IRS trampled on one of Americans’ most deeply-held values – their First Amendment right to Free Speech. That’s wrong and Americans deserve the truth about what happened.

     As a result, the House passed a Resolution holding Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress for her refusal. I voted for that Resolution, and I also voted for a House Resolution that would force Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special counsel to investigate the targeting of conservative groups.

     This lack of accountability didn’t just stop with the IRS targeting. For well over a year, they have failed to offer a full account into the September 11, 2012 terrorist attack on our embassy in Benghazi, Libya. Americans died in this attack, yet Administration officials have refused to disclose with the full story.

     Despite efforts to get all the facts from officials, the House of Representatives hit roadblock after roadblock. On May 8th, the House of Representatives voted to create its own Select Committee on Benghazi.

     I was glad to cast this important vote, and I look forward to this Committee’s insight into the events of September of 2012.

     These two investigations, along with outrageous allegations in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), point toward a troubling lack of accountability within the Federal government. It is despicable the way our brave Veterans are being treated.  I have co-sponsored and voted for legislation to increase transparency and accountability in the VA – but the point is it shouldn’t have happened in the first place.

     Someone must be held accountable, and Congress needs to help find the truth.