Several leading senators have called for hearings, but Senator Orrin G. Hatch, the Utah Republican who is the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, rejected the idea today. He said he did not think it was "the appropriate time" for a review while the Justice Department was conducting criminal and internal investigations.

But Senator Patrick J. Leahy, the Vermont Democrat who is one of the committee members who requested a hearing, said he was disappointed by the decision. "It's difficult for me to understand why we can't find time to come to grips with security issues that are jeopardizing our security and hampering our premier domestic intelligence and law enforcement agency," Mr. Leahy said.