Goss traveled to Athens with ranking committee member Ray LaHood of Illinois as well as committee staffers and security advisers.

The day Waco exploded, senior White House staffers congregated in the office of Mark Gearan, the deputy chief of staff, to take up what one called "the trainwreck problem."

In January, the chiefs of staff for the Army and Air Force along with other senior leaders met to discuss issues of mutual interest regarding interoperability.