Congress Passes Emergency Plan

[David]

The Senate and House in quick succession Friday approved $40 billion in emergency aid to help the victims and hunt down the perpetrators of this week's terrorist attacks. The Senate also gave its official consent for the president to use force against those responsible for the attacks.

The spending bill cleared Congress as President Bush, accompanied by a contingent of New York lawmakers, boarded Air Force One to visit the World Trade Center site in New York that was reduced to rubble in the terrorist strike Tuesday.

"This was a bipartisan effort that stretched from one end of the country to the other, and it's going to help New York tremendously," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

The Senate vote on the bill, which doubled the amount originally requested by the president, passed 96-0. The House vote, prolonged so lawmakers could attend a memorial service at the National Cathedral, was 422-0.

The Senate also passed a resolution, by a vote of 98-0, authorizing Mr. Bush to "use all necessary and appropriate force" in retaliation for the unprecedented attacks against the United States.

The House plans to give its concurrence Saturday to the bipartisan measure requested by the president.

Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott lauded the rapid-fire work that brought agreement on both the spending and a separate measure authorizing the president to use of force.

"These are different times," Lott told colleagues. "And we have got to act decisively. The American people expect it of us, and they will accept nothing less."

"It is the down payment on providing the resources necessary to rebuild this nation," said Rep. David Obey, top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

The Senate was in an exceptionally somber mood when it approved the spending measure, with most lawmakers taking the unusual step of sitting at their desks during the roll call.

The bill provides an immediate $10 billion to be used to respond to the attacks, counter domestic and international terrorism, increase transportation security and repair facilities damaged by the facilities.

Another $10 billion would be made available 15 days after the White House informs Congress of a plan for its use. The remaining $20 billion would be included in spending bills for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

Under the agreement reached with the White House, at least half the $40 billion will go to disaster recovery activities in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania, where a fourth hijacked plane crashed last Tuesday.

The resolution on the use of force is not a formal declaration of war, but is modeled after it, authorizing Mr. Bush to respond militarily while also assuring lawmakers timely oversight and consultation.

Lawmakers likened the resolution to the measure passed by Congress in 1991 for Bush's father, President George Bush, in the Persian Gulf War.