House, White House agree on Iraq wording

Senate continues debate on language

By John King (CNN Washington)

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The White House reached agreement Wednesday with House leaders on language of a resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq to target its weapons of mass destruction and bring it into compliance with its post Persian Gulf War commitments to the United Nations.

The agreement came after the White House agreed to a number of concessions in its initial proposal for broad authority to use military force.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, and House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Missouri, have endorsed the proposal, and Gephardt was presenting it to fellow Democrats after a breakfast meeting with President Bush at the White House. The House Committee on International Relations was to begin its work on the resolution later Wednesday, and floor debate was scheduled for next week.

There is no such agreement with the Democratic-controlled Senate, because of lingering differences between some senators and the White House. But Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-South Dakota, said the conversations at the White House were productive, and in the end several lawmakers predicted the Senate would adopt language that is close if not identical to the version that emerges from the House.

The compromise House resolution, according to several top congressional aides, includes language:

Supporting the president's effort to get a new resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council.

Limiting the use of U.S. military force to Iraq, and the scope of any military operation to dealing with "current ongoing threats posed by Iraq" and to forcing compliance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Requiring Bush to make a determination to Congress prior to ordering military action that further diplomacy will not succeed in bringing Iraq into compliance.

Requiring Bush to make a determination that using military force against Iraq is consistent with and will not detract from the ongoing effort to take action against terrorists and terrorist organizations.

Requiring regular consulting and reporting to the Congress

And requiring the White House, consistent with the War Powers Act, to report to Congress every 60 days on military operations and planning for "post-military" operations including any plans for peacekeeping and reconstruction efforts in Iraq.

Daschle played down the failure to reach agreement with the White House on a single resolution.

"I indicated this morning it isn't where you start, it is where you end," Daschle told reporters after emerging from the meeting with Bush. "And it is still my hope and expectation, really, that at the end of the day we are going to have a broad level of support on both sides of the aisle for a resolution that indicates our support for the United Nations effort and our support for the administration's effort in dealing with Iraq."

Daschle has faced pressure from some fellow Democrats who believe Bush was asking for too much authority. Several leading Senate Republicans also have called for alternative language, so the Senate debate could begin with several competing proposals.

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