President George W. Bush was expected to sign the bill, which passed the Senate late Friday after a conference committee reached a compromise on separate House and Senate versions.

"I am pleased that Congress moved quickly and with strong bipartisan support to pass my request for our military and to bolster our homeland defenses during Operation Iraqi Freedom," Bush said in a statement. "This legislation includes the resources necessary to win the war and help secure enduring freedom and democracy for the Iraqi people."

Bush had asked for 74.7 billion dollars, but congressional leaders had added many spending proposals to the bill, such as three billion dollars to aid the nation's airlines, hit hard by a drop in travel.

Lawmakers also dropped from the text an amendment barring companies from France, Germany, Russia and Syria from taking part in US-funded reconstruction bids in Iraq after the White House opposed the measure. The four countries opposed the US-led invasion.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert praised House leaders for keeping the bill free of unnecessary spending. Some lawmakers had criticized colleagues for attempting to attach amendments providing money for projects not related to the war.

"I am disappointed that some Senate provisions were ultimately included that were not war or homeland security-related, but the vast majority of those provisions were stripped from the final conference report," he said.

SPACE.WIRE