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CNN Live At Daybreak

America Under Attack: Congress Debates Language in Resolution

Aired September 13, 2001 - 07:25   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Across the river, across the Potomac we go to Congress, where some law makers are talking about just that, a resolution of resolve, perhaps. It would support the use of military force, perhaps to respond to Tuesday's terrorist attacks. Congressional leaders are negotiating with the White House on the exact language of all of this. They hope to come to some agreement later today.

More on this from our CNN congressional correspondent Kate Snow, who is on Capitol Hill -- Kate, what is the discussion here? Is there a debate over the resolution?

KATE SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There is. We understand from sources, Miles, that this debate was started by the White House, the White House requesting that Congress take a look at some sort of use of force resolution, some sort of resolution that would outline or allow some latitude for the president in the case that the president and the administration decide that force is warranted.

This is something that's been done before. Similar measures were passed during the Vietnam War and during the Persian Gulf.

Now, it is very much in a state of flux. It's being negotiated, we understand, more meetings scheduled today between congressional negotiators and the White House on that front.

On another front, the Congress probably will take up today an effort, a bill, a spending bill, an emergency spending bill, and that would provide some money up front for some of the things that are needed right away, emergency spending that would give the administration money for rescue, for repairs, also for counter- terrorism efforts. That effort, we understand from the House Appropriations chairman, could be with a price tag of about $20 billion, that's billion with a B dollars, although that's still a little bit in flux as well. Late last night we were told that the figure would be $20 billion and that the bill would outline things that this money could be spent on, and that's anti-terrorism efforts, increasing transit security, repairing public facilities and supporting national security.

Within those broad categories, Miles, the president would then have latitude to spend the money as the administration sees fit, to move money around. This would just be a first step, I'm told by sources here on Capitol Hill, this would be one of perhaps several bills down the road, but a first step to at least initially give the president some money that obviously is much needed at this critical time -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right, Kate, clearly we're in uncharted territory here, but we're talking about a declaration of war against whom?

SNOW: Well, we're talking about -- we have to be very careful with the language. What's being discussed is a resolution supporting the use of military force and the language is very careful and it's being negotiated now.

There's been a lot of talk about should there be a declaration of war and that very question that you just raised is the one that's been raised all over Capitol Hill. If you did a declaration of war, who would you declare war against? It doesn't fit any of the previous models. It doesn't fit the War Powers Act.

So there's a lot of talk, a lot of discussion, and just to reemphasize, it's a fluid discussion and no decision has been made about any resolution, but that's the effort. The White House would like to see some resolution put up that the Congress could vote on just to give the president some much needed backing -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: How quickly are we likely to see that vote, Kate?

SNOW: One source told us last night, you know, this could take days. So we don't know. We know that they're in meetings again today. We do know on the funding front that I just mentioned, the $20 billion appropriations bill, emergency spending bill, if you will, that's likely to come up today, Miles. They want to get that to the president by today.

O'BRIEN: All right, CNN's Kate Snow on Capitol Hill.

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