Financial Bailout Near

WASHINGTON (AP) - The details are being finalized today, but the
chief Senate Republican in the Wall Street bailout talks says
they've "worked out everything."
New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg made the comment after House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a tentative deal shortly after
midnight.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham says it's "a better deal for
the taxpayers" than the initial White House proposal. Democratic
Senator John Kerry agrees, saying it will now "have
accountability."
A senior administration official says the rescue plan would
place "reasonable" limits on severance packages for executives of
companies that benefit from it.
- House Republicans have wrestled some concessions in the bailout plan for Wall Street, but it's unclear
if it's enough to keep a majority of them from voting against it.
The plan calls for the Treasury Department to buy deeply
distressed mortgage-backed securities and other bad debts held by
banks and other investors. But House Republicans won a provision
directing some of the 700 billion dollars to a program encouraging
holders of the bad debts to keep them and buy government insurance
to cover defaults.
House Republicans say it'll help reduce some of the burden the
deal puts on taxpayers. The Treasury Department was against the
provision, but now has to decide how to structure it.
The Republicans had sidelined an earlier attempt at a deal
Thursday. Minority Leader John Boehner (BAY'-nur) made it known
many in his caucus wouldn't support it.
Congressional leaders hope to have a House vote on the measure
tomorrow, and a vote in the Senate later.