The Senate source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the GAO will announce its decision later on Wednesday.

It would be the first time in the GAO's 80-year existence that it sued the executive branch. The lawsuit would be filed in the U. S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

For nine months, the GAO has been pressing Vice President Dick Cheney, who ran the task force, to turn over documents on the meetings held last year with business executives as the Bush administration crafted a new national energy policy, including the meetings between Enron executives and the government officials.

The White House admitted that the energy task force met with Enron representatives six times last year while the government energy policy was being formulated.

Giant energy trader Enron Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection on December 2, leaving many workers with depleted retirement accounts.

The GAO began its probe after Democrats on April 19 requested that GAO investigate the conduct, operations and funding of the Cheney energy task force.

GAO Comptroller General David Walker, leader of the Congress's investigative arm, said he would make the decision whether to sue the white house this week.

Vice President Cheney, who refused to release the documents, insisted that providing the list of industry executives would harm his ability to receive advice in the future and that the congressional investigators are overstepping their authority.