WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- GOP senators Monday backed a call from a Democratic presidential candidate for the commission probing the Sept. 11 attacks to get more time.
Sen. Susan Collins, R.-Maine, chairwoman of the powerful Senate Governmental Affairs Committee announced she was sponsoring a bill introduced by Sen. Joe Lieberman, D.-Conn., to extend the life of the commission until January 2005.
"The examination of the circumstances surrounding the terrorist attacks is an important task. I want to ensure that the 9/11 Commission has the time it needs to complete its work," said Collins.
The bipartisan commission currently has a May 27 deadline, but members say they need more time to finish their work of finding out why the United States was taken so off guard by al-Qaida suicide hijackers.
Sen. Lieberman, one of the original proponents of the commission is seeking the Democratic nomination for president.
