Sept. 11 commission faces fight over deadline extension

The federal commission investigating the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 will have bipartisan congressional support if it requests an extension of time to complete its work, lawmakers and a member of the commission said this week.

Former Rep. Tim Roemer, D-Ind., who serves on the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, said Wednesday he wants the group to request an extension within a week. According to Roemer, the commission does not have enough time to complete interviews and review all the information received by federal agencies by its congressionally mandated deadline of May 27, 2004. The commission is charged with issuing a definitive account of government actions leading up to the attacks, along with recommendations on how future attacks can be prevented.

"Personally, I believe we need an extension in order to fill the congressional mandate, which is breathtaking and inclusive of almost every government acronym ever invented," Roemer said. "There is strong bipartisan support for an extension. We just want to solidify [our request], and work on a good strategy for successfully pursuing it."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Tuesday he will support an extension if the commission makes a formal request.

"They should have the guts to request it," said McCain, who helped draft legislation creating the commission. "They know they have plenty of people who would support them and force votes. They've got to have the guts to formally request it. So far, they haven't shown that."

However, the Washington Post reported Jan. 19 that President Bush and House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., oppose granting the commission more time, setting up a potential legislative fight in the coming weeks. Hastert's office did not return a phone call for comment Wednesday.

Roemer said the commission's work has been slowed by a lack of cooperation from the White House and other government agencies. To date, the commission has had to subpoena the Federal Aviation Administration, the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the City of New York for necessary material.

"We continue to be very concerned with access to information that we need to fill our mandate and do our job thoroughly," Roemer added.

An extension would be welcome news to groups representing family members who lost loved ones on Sept. 11 and citizen coalitions that have been critical of the commission and the Bush administration.

"The momentous nature of the event requires that this commission not be rushed to complete its work," said Kyle Hence, co-founder of 9/11 Citizens Watch, a group created to ensure that answers and accountability arise from the Sept. 11 investigation.

However, the group has criticized the commission's operations as lacking in transparency because witnesses have not been required to testify under oath during public hearings, and key officials have not been called to testify. Hence said Congress should conduct oversight hearings on how the commission is operating before granting an extension.

The commission will tackle aviation and border security when it resumes public hearings on Jan. 26. Over the course of two days, members will hear from officials in the public and private sector, including Homeland Security Department Deputy Secretary James Loy, former FAA Administrator Jane Garvey, and Donna Bucella, the director of the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center.

The commission held a private business meeting Jan. 5 and was divided on whether to formally request an extension, said Al Felzenberg, the commission's deputy director for communications.

"There was diversity of opinion among the commissioners," Felzenberg said. "Some commissioners expressed hope that we might have some more time. Other commissioners felt that we are very far along in our work and have access to all of the material we need to do our work, and they would just [prefer] we forge ahead with the existing date."

Commissioners who favor an extension suggested an additional two or three months, Felzenberg said. As a result, the chairman of the commission, former New Jersey Gov. Thomas Kean, and vice chairman, former Rep. Lee Hamilton, R-Ind., were authorized to approach the White House and congressional leaders about extending the deadline.

The commission also decided to ask President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, former President Clinton, and former Vice President Al Gore if they would testify. "The commission has authorized its leadership to ascertain their availability to meet with us," Felzenberg said.

Roemer believes the commission's deadline should be extended beyond the November 2004 elections so its report and recommendations do not become politicized.

Rep. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said he also supports an extension but fears the Bush administration will block it.

"I think the Bush administration has not cooperated vigorously with the [Sept. 11] commission," he said. "In my mind, the only reason why there is a lack of vigorous support and compliance with the commission is because [the administration] has some concerns about what would ultimately be revealed."