WASHINGTON, March 30 (UPI) -- The Sept. 11 commission Tuesday welcomed news the White House had reversed itself and will allow U.S. national security advisor Condoleezza Rice to testify.
The commission also said it was pleased President Bush and Vice President Cheney had agreed to meet in private with all 10 commissioners. Previously, the White House had said that Bush would meet only with a small number of commissioners.
"These decisions represent a significant contribution by the President to the work of the Commission, consistent with our mandate to 'provide a full and complete accounting' of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, (2001)," the panel said in a statement.
The commission -- which must report by July 27 -- said it would work with the White House to schedule the two sessions.
The White House has come under increasing pressure to provide public testimony, following allegations last week from former counter-terror czar Richard A. Clarke that the administration did not do all it should have to prevent the suicide hijackings.
