By Ralph Dannheisser
Washington File Congressional Correspondent

Washington -- Congress has completed action on a $28,900 million antiterrorism spending bill, clearing the measure for President Bush to sign it into law.

The emergency spending bill provides funds for a range of purposes -- about half for military and intelligence operations, the rest for such items as strengthening domestic security and completing payments the president had pledged to New York to aid in its recovery from the deadly attack on the World Trade Center towers last September 11.

The Senate took the final legislative step July 24, passing the measure by a 92-7 margin.

The House of Representatives had given its approval, by a 397-32 vote, late the previous day.

The Bush administration has not said for certain that the president will sign the bill -- more expensive in some areas than he had requested -- but legislators fully believe he will.

The measure carries the formal title, "2002 Supplemental Appropriations Act for Further Recovery From and Response to Terrorist Attacks on the United States."

All the money appropriated is for use in the current fiscal year, which ends September 30. The largest single component, besides the $14,500 million slated for defense and intelligence operations, is $6,700 million to augment airline security and enhance domestic security programs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies. Another $5,500 million would go to New York, completing promised payments of about $21,500 million to the city.

Some $2,100 million is slated for foreign aid and diplomatic programs, an amount that includes $200 million to help Israel with antiterrorism programs and $50 million in humanitarian aid for the West Bank and Gaza. Another $211 million is earmarked for boosting the security of U.S. embassies.

The measure contains language that would restrict U.S. cooperation with the new International Criminal Court. Some in Congress and the Bush administration have opposed creation of the war crimes tribunal on grounds that it might prosecute U.S. troops.

In a separate action July 24, the House approved by an overwhelming 413-3 vote a measure that would add some $10,000 million to the amount to be authorized for Defense Department use in fiscal year 2003, which begins October 1.

Combined with the funds in a measure previously passed by the House, that brings the total defense authorization for the year to the full $393,000 million requested by the president.

The vote sets the stage for the start -- probably in September -- of a House-Senate conference that will work out differences in the funding measure as passed by the two chambers.