Bush administration close to unveiling domestic security department legislation

The U.S.Congress and President Bush are close to reaching a breakthrough on long-stalled legislation to create a new Cabinet department for domestic security, top Republican and Democratic lawmakers told the press Sunday.

The fresh momentum for a Department of Homeland Security is likely a result of Bush’s enhanced clout after last week’s elections, which gave Republicans control of both houses of Congress.

The homeland security bill got bogged down in the Democratic-led Senate for months as the two parties fought over the degree of authority the proposed department’s management would have to confront labor unions and shake up civil service rules.

Speaking on NBC’s "Meet the Press", Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi said Sunday that a deal on homeland security could come this week. “We’re very close,” he said."” “We hope by Tuesday or Wednesday we would have a bill that could be passed by the Senate by a wide margin.”