Bush vows to work for spy agency overhaul
Unwilling to concede defeat, congressional leaders expressed hope Sunday that lawmakers could return next month to resolve a turf battle that has blocked passage of an overhaul of the nation's intelligence agencies. President Bush pledged to work with them for passage.
Congressional leaders said prospects depended on how successful Bush was in lining up support.
"For us to do the bill in early December it will take significant involvement by the president and the vice president," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. "It will take real focus on their part."
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. At a news conference after an economic summit in Chile, Bush said: "I was disappointed the bill didn't pass. I thought it was going to pass up to the last minute."
He said he and Vice President Dick Cheney had talked with key members of the House and "it was clear I wanted the bill passed." He did not respond directly to a question about whether opposition from Defence Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld contributed to the deadlock.
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