Arlen Specter, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, said Sunday that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will testify before the committee about the Bush administration's domestic spying program.
Mr. Specter said he plans to hold the hearings next month on the legality of the spying program.
Mr. Specter's interview came the day after the non-partisan Congressional Research Service issued a report questioning President Bush's legal authority to electronically eavesdrop on American citizens without obtaining warrants.
Mr. Bush and administration officials have repeatedly said the secret monitoring of telephone calls and e-mails was authorized by Congress when it approved sweeping anti-terrorist legislation after the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks.
They have called the program "a critical tool" in fighting terrorism.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.