Chris Shays, R-Conn., would allocate $15 million over the next five years to allow the panel to continue to monitor the progress of its recommendations
Area lawmakers work to keep 9/11 panel
By Lisa Friedman Staff Writer
[Excerpt]
The 9/11 Commission formally shut its doors Friday and made plans to transfer all its documents to the National Archives. For 20 months, the panel of five Republicans and five Democrats pored through records and conducted extensive interviews, producing a final report in late July calling for a complete restructuring of the nation's intelligence agencies.
Members plan to continue testifying before Congress and lobbying for the 40 homeland security improvements they recommended.
Commission spokesman Jonathan Stull said the panel has created a nonprofit called the 9/11 Public Discourse Project to raise money so commissioners can continue their work.
"We're moving ahead on a private basis," commission Vice Chairman Lee Hamilton told the House Financial Services Committee on Monday.
In the meantime, Sherman and Rep. Joe Baca, D-San Bernardino, are among five House members working to extend the commission's mandate until 2009. A bill sponsored by Reps. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Chris Shays, R-Conn., would allocate $15 million over the next five years to allow the panel to continue to monitor the progress of its recommendations.
The question of extending the commission's tenure, however, has become a partisan issue. Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry has called for the panel to work at least 18 more months, and Republicans have accused Democrats of playing politics with the commission and its report.
Jo Maney, spokeswoman for Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, said the congressman is willing to discuss an extension, but no commissioners have asked him for one.
"He's open to talking about it," Maney said.
-- Lisa Friedman can be reached at (202) 662-8731 or by e-mail at lisa.friedman@langnews.com .
