White House misses document deadline

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- White House officials face contempt of U.S. Congress charges for failing to submit documents related to the warrantless surveillance program, it was reported.

Monday's deadline set by the Senate Judiciary Committee passed without Bush administration officials producing the documents, said Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., the committee's chairman.

"Right now, there's no question that they are in contempt of the valid order of the Congress," Leahy said, adding the committee will pursue action against the officials when Congress reconvenes in September.

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's office Monday acknowledged that it has documents related to the program but would resist efforts by congressional Democrats to obtain them, The Washington Post reported.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said administration officials don't mean to be confrontational and hope to negotiate more time to locate documents.

The surveillance program allowed federal security officials to eavesdrop without a warrant on communications by suspected terrorists transmitted between the United States and other countries.