The committees granted them immunity from the use of their testimony against them in a subsequent trial.

The committees did not grant the colonel and the admiral immunity so they could testify in public until this month.

The committee granted assistance to three of the umpires and denied it to three others.

On Tuesday, however, the committees formally granted him immunity from prosecution based on the evidence he provides to Congress.

"The acts were of a political nature and the committee granted amnesty," said a commission spokesman.

In addition, no contractor sued by the Federal agencies could get Government contracts, unless a special contractors' committee granted a waiver.

"The select committees have granted an important accommodation to our investigation," he said in a statement.

The committee granted Afghanistan five wildcards, including three male athletes - a boxer, a wrestler and a sprinter.

The advisory committee says it receives about 40,000 requests for stamps annually but can only grant about 40 of them.

Then, the committees granted him immunity from prosecution based on his Congressional testimony.