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Could this BOOK be the reason for requesting an extension?

U.S. Senate approves 9/11 commission extension (2 months)
Reuters ^ | 2/27/04

Posted on 02/27/2004 10:32:41 AM PST by areafiftyone

WASHINGTON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The Senate on Friday approved a two-month extension for a commission investigating the Sept. 11, attacks but the measure is still opposed by the top Republican leader in the House of Representatives.

The Senate approved a proposal passed by the intelligence committee on Thursday to give the commission an additional $1 million and extend its deadline to July 27 from May 27.

The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States wants extra time to follow leads from its review of documents and its interviews about circumstances around the 2001 hijacked plane attacks that killed about 3,000 people.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican, does not want an extension, saying it would delay recommendations and potentially politicize the findings as they would be released at a critical time in the presidential campaign.

The White House initially opposed the congressionally created commission and later resisted the two-month extension. But it has cooperated with the panel and says it favors giving it two months more time.

Al Felzenberg, the commission spokesman, welcomed the Senate vote."This is a very positive step. The commission is very appreciative of the Senate's action," he said. "We're very hopeful that the House of Representatives will see fit to do the same."

If the House does not pass the extension, the commission would complete its work by the late-May deadline, but it would hold fewer public hearings, he said. "We would probably not be able to pursue as many late-breaking leads as we would like."

The commission would explain in its report which areas it was unable to fully investigate because of time constraints, Felzenberg said.

He said commission staff continued to negotiate with White House staff about the parameters within which President George W. Bush would be interviewed about the Sept. 11 attacks.

Bush has agreed to meet privately with the commission's chairman and vice chairman for one hour, while the commission is asking that all 10 members be allowed in the meeting.

"We would hope that he would reconsider and be willing to meet with the entire commission," Felzenberg said.

Asked about the one-hour time limit, Felzenberg said that Kean has pointed out that "it's extremely unusual going back in history for a sitting president to meet with any investigative body such as ours."

Felzenberg noted that when the Warren Commission was investigating the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, then-President Lyndon Johnson submitted a brief statement but was not interviewed. (Additional reporting by Caren Bohan)