WASHINGTON, May 23 (UPI) -- Secretary of State John Kerry has agreed to appear before the House Oversight Committee to testify on the Benghazi attacks.

The State Department sent a letter to Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., responding to a subpoena to appear at a May 29 hearing. The letter says he cannot appear on May 29, citing a scheduling conflict, and offered June 12 or 20 as alternative dates.


The hearing is not related to the new select committee formed this month to examine the terrorist attack that took the lives of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans on Sept. 11, 2012, in Libya. Because he will appear before the Oversight Committee, the State Department letter says, Kerry will not need to testify before the select committee.

"As the State Department has moved away from the Committee to accept an alternative witness, Chairman Issa accepted the Secretary's offer to testify on June 12," said Issa spokesman Frederick Hill." The Committee looks forward to his appearance."