The U.S. Senate has scheduled a no-confidence vote next month on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who is under fire for the controversial dismissals of eight federal prosecutors last year.
Several lawmakers have called on Gonzales to resign - including members of President Bush's own Republican Party. Congressional Democrats say the firings were politically motivated, and accuse the White House of possible direct involvement.
The administration strongly denies those charges, and President Bush has repeatedly expressed support for Gonzales.
On Thursday, the president urged congressional investigators to quickly finish their hearings into the controversy, which he described as "grand political theater."
A former top aide to Gonzales, Monica Goodling, told the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday that she had an "uncomfortable" talk with Gonzales about his recollections of the dismissals in March, shortly after the dismissals became widely known to the public.
The Justice Department denies that Gonzales was trying to influence Goodling's testimony.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.