Political hearings and commissions come and go in Washington, D.C. And in almost every case in the 21st century, hearings have been weaponized for political gain while largely consisting of rehearsed made-for-cable-news zingers that ultimately amount to sound and fury signifying nothing.

The 9/11 Commission was an exception, however. Created in 2002 one year after the terrorist attacks, it was bipartisan and had a vested interest not to make one party or the other look bad. Its objective was to learn how the attacks happened and to prevent another massive terror attack from occurring on U.S. soil again. 

More than 3,000 Americans died on 9/11, the worst attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor. Two wars were launched in Afghanistan and Iraq as a result. No event since Sept. 11, 2001, has had such a profound effect on the United States as the COVID-19 pandemic that began three years ago. 

Thirty-six months later, the death toll stands at more than 1.14 million Americans and more than 6.8 million people worldwide. Businesses were shut down; some never recovered. Schools were shuttered. Mental health issues, alcoholism, drug use and suicides skyrocketed from the isolation and lack of interaction with family and friends. And on the political front, a presidential election was decided largely because of the issue overwhelming the country in November 2020.