Reuters - A U.S. House of Representatives committee renewed a threat on Friday to subpoena Secretary of State Mike Pompeo if he does not provide information about Iran policy and President Donald Trump�s ordering of the strike that killed an Iranian military commander.
Representative Eliot Engel, the Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he scheduled a public hearing with Pompeo for Wednesday, Jan. 29.
�This hearing deals with the most weighty issues with which our country and Congress deals, including the use of force. Therefore, I consider your testimony to be of extremely high importance and am prepared to use all legal means to ensure your attendance,� Engel wrote to Pompeo.
Friday�s announcement marked the second time the committee has tried to schedule a hearing with Pompeo this month. The first was for a hearing on Jan. 14, but Pompeo did not appear.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
Members of Congress - including some of Trump�s fellow Republicans - have been pushing Trump�s administration for more information about the killing by a drone strike in Iraq this month of Iran�s Qassem Soleimani.
Criticism has grown as administration officials have offered shifting justifications for the strike. Trump fueled controversy by saying on Twitter that �it doesn�t really matter� whether Soleimani posed an imminent threat.
Despite the start of Trump�s impeachment trial, the Senate could vote as soon as next week on a resolution that could curb Trump�s ability to take military action against Iran without obtaining Congress� approval.
Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Andrea Ricci