WASHINGTON, D.C.— House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR) and HPSCI 9/11 Review Co-Chair, Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) led a bipartisan visit to the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial. The members were joined by Representative Jake Ellzey (R-TX), Vice Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense (HAC-D), and HPSCI Member, Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN).

The visit was part of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence’s year-long bipartisan review of the 9/11 Commission intelligence recommendations and served as an opportunity for the Members to pay their respects to the 184 lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon. The Members met with one of the survivors of the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon and heard her recount her experiences that day, during which she lost her own sister. Additionally, the Members spoke with one of the first firefighters to respond to the Pentagon on September 11^th, who later went on to become the Arlington County Fire Chief.

“Twenty-five years ago, we as Americans vowed never to forget,” said Chairman Crawford (R-AR). “However, the passage of time has diminished many Americans’ memories of that tragic day, reinforcing the importance of these memorials. In the aftermath of one of the darkest days in U.S. history, we witnessed untold acts of kindness among strangers and neighbors. We saw the true spirit of America and what makes this country the greatest nation in the world. Instead of allowing the tragedy to devastate us, we rose in resilience and unity. Today’s visit to the Pentagon’s September 11th Memorial was a powerful reminder of those days. The future 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Museum will be critical in honoring the memory and the stories of the victims, survivors, and first responders for generations to come.”

“Yesterday as part of the House Intelligence Committee Bipartisan 9/11 Commission Review I joined my colleagues for a moving visit to the Pentagon’s 9/11 Memorial,” said Representative Stefanik (R-NY). “While the Pentagon 9/11 memorial site was the first to open, it remains the only 9/11 site without a visitors informational center to learn about the victims and heroism that day. We are working in Congress to ensure this is funded. We must teach our fellow Americans about 9/11 and these meaningful memorials are an incredibly important part of that mission.”

“Visiting the Pentagon Memorial is a powerful reminder of the lives lost, the families forever changed, and the courage shown by so many on September 11, 2001,” said Representative Ellzey (R-TX). “As we approach the 25th anniversary of that tragic day, it is our responsibility to preserve these stories for future generations. I’m proud of the American people and their support of efforts to build a museum that will help ensure we never forget the sacrifices made, the resilience our nation displayed, and the lessons we must carry forward. We honor those we lost not only with our remembrance, but through our commitment to protecting the freedoms they stood for.”

“Today’s visit was my first to the Pentagon and to the 9/11 Memorial to those who died on the plane and on the ground,” said Representative Cohen (D-TN). “It was very impactful and somewhat emotional reliving thoughts of the innocent Americans from all over the country who died that day.”

Background: On September 11, 2025, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford and Ranking Member Jim Himes announced the establishment of a bipartisan HPSCI review of the 9/11 Commission Report recommendations, to be chaired by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and co-chaired by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ).

The review will evaluate the progress made on the intelligence-related recommendations made by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States in The 9/11 Commission Report, released in July 2004, and identify possible gaps or areas of improvement.

Leading up to the 25^th anniversary of 9/11 next year, the Committee will hold events, hearings, and briefings, both public and closed, to inform a report of findings and actionable recommendations that will be released in the days leading up to the anniversary. This review will examine both the current status of the IC’s adoption of the Commission’s recommendations, as well as how the IC is equipped to counter the threats the United States will face over the next 25 years.

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