That is because these are closed hearings. That means no members of the media, no members of the public are allowed inside. We do know what they are about, though. This, the attack in the U.S. facility in Benghazi, Libya. It happened just over two months ago. The members of Congress who are running the hearings have questions about how the attacks happened and what happened afterward. And they are hoping to get answers. Martha Shade has more on who’ll be at the hearings and what issues are expected to come up. 

 

Several of Washington’s power players will be on Capitol Hill, expecting to be grilled about the deadly consulate attack in Benghazi, Libya. U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed in the September 11th assault. Former CIA director David Petraeus is scheduled to address this Senate House Intelligence Committee, his testimony was in question after his sudden resignation last week. 

 

“He is necessary, he understands and was there during the time when the Benghazi events occurred.”

 

Some Republicans have been going after U.N. ambassador Susan Rice. After the violence, she said intelligence pointed to a spontaneous, no pre-planned attack. Senator John McCain said Rice was deceptive, while Lindsey Graham just doesn’t trust her. 

 

“The reason I don’t trust her, is because I think she knew better, and if she didn’t know better she shouldn’t be the voice of America.”

 

President Barack Obama had a message to the senators in Rice’s defense. 

 

“If Senator McCain and Senator Graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me, and I’m happy to have that discussion with them.” 

 

The senators oppose Rice possibly being nominated to secretary of state to replace Hillary Clinton, and say they will do whatever they can do to block it. Senator Rand Paul says he is no fun of Rice, but there are bigger issues at play. 

 

“But I think the more important question is, why were there no Marines guarding our ambassador. “

 

Who made that decision, is likely to be discussed during these hearings. I’m Martha Shade reporting. 

 

Next stop, we are looking at a fine, not just any old fine, the largest criminal fine in U.S. history. It’s $1.2 billion, and the company that’s paying it, is BP. You might remember this, an explosion in 2010 in a BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. A massive oil spill that leaked more than 200 million gallons of oil into the water. And the serious environmental problems when some of that oil washed up along the U.S. Gulf coast. Yesterday, BP reached the settlement with the U.S. government. The company will pay $4.5 billion. That includes the record fine, and it covers other criminal charges and government penalties. BP has already agreed to pay $20 billion to cover damages from the spill, and nearly $8 billion to private victims. For perspective in a two year since the oil spill happened, BP has made $43 billion in profits. 

 

You’ve heard this talk about this fiscal cliff. It’s a series automatic government spending cuts and tax increases that could hit Americans next year, if Congress and President Obama don’t figure out a way around them. Here is a look at how the fiscal cliff could impact education, school districts nationwide would have less money, so after school programs, enrichment programs, sports could be cut. More teachers could lose their jobs or get paid less. And many schools wouldn’t be able to make needed repairs, upgrade computers or get new textbooks. Because so many schools have been struggling with less money after the recession hit, this fiscal cliff could make things worse, and that’s why so many people in education are paying attention to what happens as Congress and the president try to find the solution.