Report on NSA Surveillance Delayed Because of Government Shutdown

Recommendations will be sent to president in December

The high-profile "review group" of experts looking into National Security Agency (NSA) spying practices will deliver its interim report to President Barack Obama two weeks later than expected because of the government shutdown, a senior administration official told Yahoo News on Friday.

"The Review Group will provide an interim report to the President through the DNI the week of November 11, 2013, and their final recommendations are due to the President by December 15, 2013," the official said on condition of anonymity. "DNI" refers to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

"The Group was given 60 days to provide an interim report, which would require them to provide that interim report this week," the official said. "However, because of the government shutdown, which prevented their ability to work on this critical issue, we had to delay the deadline. We still expect the final report to be on time by December 15."