politics

Congress on Thursday approved far-reaching changes to the nation's system of interrogating and prosecuting terrorism suspects, setting the stage for possible military trials of key Al-Qaida members under rules that critics say will draw stiff constitutional challenges.

The Senate joined the House in embracing President Bush's view that the battle against terrorism justifies the imposition of limits on defendants' traditional rights in the courtroom. They include restrictions on a suspect's ability to challenge his detention, examine all evidence against him and bar testimony allegedly acquired through coercion of witnesses.

The bill also would prohibit some of the worst abuses of detainees such as mutilation and rape, but grant the president leeway to decide which other interrogation techniques are permissible.

The Senate's 65-34 vote marked a victory for Bush and fellow Republicans before the Nov. 7 elections as their party tries to make anti-terrorism a signature campaign issue.

The vote on final passage drew support from 53 Republicans and 12 Democrats, while 32 Democrats, one independent and one Republican -- Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island -- voted against it.

The House passed nearly identical legislation on Wednesday and was expected to approve the Senate bill today. The bill could reach the president's desk by Saturday, when Congress closes up shop for the campaign season.

The White House and its supporters have called the measure crucial in the fight against terrorism, but some Democrats said it left the door open to abuse.

The Senate vote was the latest step in the U.S. struggle to determine how to treat terrorism suspects it has been holding, some for almost five years. The Supreme Court nullified Bush's initial system for trying detainees in June, and earlier this month a handful of maverick GOP senators embarrassed the president by forcing him to tone down his next proposal.

Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., voted for the bill, despite calling it "patently unconstitutional on its face." It would strip suspects of their habeas right to challenge their detention in court. After the vote, Specter said he decided to back the bill, believing the courts would strike down its habeas corpus provisions.

House OKs wiretap bill

The House approved a bill that would grant legal status to Bush's warrantless wiretapping program with new restrictions.

Under the measure, the president would be authorized to conduct such wiretaps on people on U.S. soil making calls or sending e-mails to those in other countries if he:

• Notifies the House and Senate Intelligence Committees and congressional leaders;

• Believes an attack is imminent, and later explains the reason and names those involved,

• And renews his certification every 90 days.

The Senate could vote on a similar bill by the end of the week, but differences between the versions are vast and are not expected to be reconciled by week's end.

Defense vote today

The Senate scheduled a vote for today that would send the president a nearly half-trillion-dollar Pentagon funding bill that includes $70 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan.