US Congress Nears Anti-Terrorism Bill

In an extraordinary show of bipartisan unity, congressional leaders said they intended to begin pushing an emergency anti-terrorism package through Congress on Thursday with a price tag that could exceed $20bn.

They said they also wanted quick approval this week of a separate measure stating Congress' support for the use of force by President Bush against the terrorists who crashed airliners into New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Tuesday, inflicting massive casualties.

Top lawmakers and White House officials were hoping to nail down final details of both bills by late Thursday.

Bush sent House Speaker Dennis Hastert a formal request Thursday for $20bn and suggested he could request more money. Quick passage "will send a powerful signal of unity to our fellow Americans and to the world," Bush said.

"If additional resources are necessary, I will forward another request for additional funding," he said.