King George II and His Dick Graciously Allow ONE HOUR to the Men Investigating 9-11--but Only Two Of Those Men, Chosen By the King Can Be There
CTV.ca - Panel gets two-month extension for 9/11 review- CTV News, Shows and Sports -- Canadian Television
WASHINGTON — The federal commission reviewing the Sept. 11 attacks has congressional support to get more time to complete its work, ending a standoff with Republican leaders who said an extension wasn't necessary.
The commission, established by Congress to study the nation's preparedness before the attacks and its response, had sought a two-month extension, citing delays because of disputes with the Bush administration over access to witnesses and documents.
But the commission's difficulties in conducting its probe may be far from over.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert agreed Friday to support extending the panel's deadline to July 26, clearing the way for Congress to formally approve the legislation next week. The panel was scheduled to finish its work on May 27.
Hastert had opposed an extension, citing a need to have the recommendations out quickly and concern that a delay might unduly politicize the report. Under mounting pressure, he backed down and acknowledged the panel's "difficulties in obtaining clearances and in obtaining documents."
Yet the panel remains at odds with the administration over the scope of its upcoming interviews with President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, and its effort to get national security adviser Condoleezza Rice to testify publicly.
Commissioners also worry that Hastert's proposal is somewhat restrictive.
"The commission welcomes Speaker Hastert's agreement today," the panel said in a statement Friday. "We now only need to insure that this legislation addresses the time needed to provide testimony to Congress, wind up the commission's operations and archive its files and authorize the additional money."
The Senate on Friday passed on a voice vote a bill providing a two-month extension and a 60-day wind-down. To ensure House action, Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., held up a vote on a highway bill needed to prevent the furlough Monday of some 5,000 federal workers. They lifted the hold after Hastert's agreement.
Hastert's proposal would restrict the panel's "wind down" to 30 days or less, a period during which commissioners lobby for implementation of their recommendations on how to prevent future terror attacks and declassify information for public release.
A congressional inquiry into the Sept. 11 attacks took seven months to declassify information, a process that involves White House approval.
"Very practical concerns require the 9-11 commission not to go out of business before its report can be made public," said Richard Ben-Veniste, a Democratic commissioner and former Watergate prosecutor.
The commission is negotiating with the Bush administration over its private interviews with Bush and Cheney, set for sometime in March. Bush and Cheney have said they would only meet with the chairman and vice chairman and are restricting the interviews to one hour. (This converts to 11 seconds per dead victim of the 9-11 attack...the most nauseating and arrogant people on the planet have stolen residence in OUR White House...barf me with a back hoe...) emphasis added)
Former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore have agreed to meet privately with the full 10-member commission for several hours.
Also, the commission is calling for Rice to testify at its next public hearing in late March, but she has declined, citing legal concerns. Slated to testify are Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell, as well as their counterparts in the Clinton administration, William Cohen and Madeleine Albright. Clinton's national security adviser, Sandy Berger, also is to appear.
The commission is to meet Tuesday and hope to then get more details about its upcoming interviews. The chairman and vice chairman of the commission, former New Jersey Republican Gov. Thomas H. Kean and former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., also plan to emphasize to Hastert the need for a longer period to wind down the Sept. 11 review.
"Now that we have this additional time that we've agreed in principle on, we hope to follow through on the agreement to get the Clinton administration and Bush administration fully cooperating on witnesses coming before us," said commissioner Timothy Roemer, a former Democratic congressman from Indiana.
Link.....
© Copyright 2004 Bell Globemedia Inc.
WASHINGTON — The federal commission reviewing the Sept. 11 attacks has congressional support to get more time to complete its work, ending a standoff with Republican leaders who said an extension wasn't necessary.
The commission, established by Congress to study the nation's preparedness before the attacks and its response, had sought a two-month extension, citing delays because of disputes with the Bush administration over access to witnesses and documents.
But the commission's difficulties in conducting its probe may be far from over.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert agreed Friday to support extending the panel's deadline to July 26, clearing the way for Congress to formally approve the legislation next week. The panel was scheduled to finish its work on May 27.
Hastert had opposed an extension, citing a need to have the recommendations out quickly and concern that a delay might unduly politicize the report. Under mounting pressure, he backed down and acknowledged the panel's "difficulties in obtaining clearances and in obtaining documents."
Yet the panel remains at odds with the administration over the scope of its upcoming interviews with President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, and its effort to get national security adviser Condoleezza Rice to testify publicly.
Commissioners also worry that Hastert's proposal is somewhat restrictive.
"The commission welcomes Speaker Hastert's agreement today," the panel said in a statement Friday. "We now only need to insure that this legislation addresses the time needed to provide testimony to Congress, wind up the commission's operations and archive its files and authorize the additional money."
The Senate on Friday passed on a voice vote a bill providing a two-month extension and a 60-day wind-down. To ensure House action, Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., held up a vote on a highway bill needed to prevent the furlough Monday of some 5,000 federal workers. They lifted the hold after Hastert's agreement.
Hastert's proposal would restrict the panel's "wind down" to 30 days or less, a period during which commissioners lobby for implementation of their recommendations on how to prevent future terror attacks and declassify information for public release.
A congressional inquiry into the Sept. 11 attacks took seven months to declassify information, a process that involves White House approval.
"Very practical concerns require the 9-11 commission not to go out of business before its report can be made public," said Richard Ben-Veniste, a Democratic commissioner and former Watergate prosecutor.
The commission is negotiating with the Bush administration over its private interviews with Bush and Cheney, set for sometime in March. Bush and Cheney have said they would only meet with the chairman and vice chairman and are restricting the interviews to one hour. (This converts to 11 seconds per dead victim of the 9-11 attack...the most nauseating and arrogant people on the planet have stolen residence in OUR White House...barf me with a back hoe...) emphasis added)
Former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore have agreed to meet privately with the full 10-member commission for several hours.
Also, the commission is calling for Rice to testify at its next public hearing in late March, but she has declined, citing legal concerns. Slated to testify are Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell, as well as their counterparts in the Clinton administration, William Cohen and Madeleine Albright. Clinton's national security adviser, Sandy Berger, also is to appear.
The commission is to meet Tuesday and hope to then get more details about its upcoming interviews. The chairman and vice chairman of the commission, former New Jersey Republican Gov. Thomas H. Kean and former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., also plan to emphasize to Hastert the need for a longer period to wind down the Sept. 11 review.
"Now that we have this additional time that we've agreed in principle on, we hope to follow through on the agreement to get the Clinton administration and Bush administration fully cooperating on witnesses coming before us," said commissioner Timothy Roemer, a former Democratic congressman from Indiana.
Link.....
© Copyright 2004 Bell Globemedia Inc.
posted by A. J. Franklin @ 09:34
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