Two Senate office buildings remain closed

By Dana Bash
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate Hart and Dirksen office buildings will remain closed Thursday as crews continue anthrax testing.

Senators or their staff members with written permission will be permitted to enter the buildings to retrieve items from their offices.

Senators with offices in the southeast quadrant of the Hart Senate Office building, however, will not be allowed to enter. The quadrant is the location of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's office, where an anthrax-laden letter was opened more than one week ago.

"Each senator will determine whether or not to re-enter their individual suite, or authorize their staff member to re-enter, based upon consultation with the Attending Physician," read a statement by Dr. John Eisold, the attending physician of the Capitol.

Daschle said he hopes the Dirksen Senate Office Building would reopen Friday. Congressional sources said it could be "weeks" before senators and their staff will get back into the Hart building -- particularly the areas near Daschle's office.

The Russell Senate Office Building reopened Wednesday. On the House side, the Cannon, Rayburn and O'Neill buildings will reopen Thursday. The Longworth House Office Building remains closed.