Senate moves closer to homeland security compromise

Republicans and Democrats may be close to a deal on homeland security legislation that could lead to Senate approval of the politically charged bill in the next few days-and perhaps reduce pressure for a busy week next week or even a lame-duck session.

After weeks of haggling over procedure, Senate Republicans signaled Wednesday they might accept an offer from Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., calling for a straight up-or-down vote on a key GOP-supported amendment. The amendment, sponsored by Sens. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, and Zell Miller, D-Ga., would give President Bush the authority he seeks over the new department's personnel rules.

"I think that probably would be accepted," Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., said in response to a reporter's question. However, Lott said that he did not want to "speak out of school," adding that he would run the issue by Senate Republicans during their luncheon Wednesday afternoon.

"Homeland security is back on the calendar," a Daschle spokeswoman said. If Republicans accept the deal, they may get the clean vote on the Gramm-Miller amendment that they have been seeking since September.

Bush and congressional Republicans have said that they would not accept legislation that does not give the White House flexibility with regard to the department's employment rules. Once senators vote on the Gramm-Miller amendment, they would proceed to a vote on a second amendment, drafted by Sens. John Breaux, D-La., Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., that would limit the president's authority in that area.

As talks continued between the sides, Senate Democrats and House Republicans canceled separate news conferences scheduled for Wednesday on the issue. Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn.,the author of the Senate bill, said both sides planned to sit down to "see where we are."