WASHINGTON, September 26 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - U.S. President George W. Bush said Thursday, September 26, that he was close to agreement with Congress on a "strong resolution" to use force against Iraq.

Following talks with leaders of both parties in Congress, Bush said: "We are moving toward a strong resolution. And all of us, and many others in Congress, are united in our determination to confront an urgent threat to America."

“We're making progress. We're near an agreement. And soon we will speak with one voice," Bush added.

The administration sent a draft resolution to Congress last week seeking authorization to use "all means" to force Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to keep international commitments to disarm.

The U.S. President wants a resolution passed before Congress adjourns ahead of mid-term elections on November 5. But the timing of a vote is still unsure.

There were bitter exchanges in a Congress debate Wednesday, September 25, over a possible U.S. attack on Iraq, with the majority Democrats accusing the President of using the prospect of war as a political football in the run-up to midterm elections in November.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said it was "outrageous" that Bush had accused the Democrats of being more concerned with partisan issues than national security, and demanded the President apologize.

CNN reports Bush made no direct mention of Daschle’s accusations that the administration was politicizing the war on terror, and made no direct apology as he called for a civil debate in Congress over the Iraq resolution, saying, "Congress will have an important debate, a meaningful debate, a historic debate. It will be conducted with all civility…We're making progress. It will be conducted in a manner that will make Americans proud and Americans understand the threats to our future.

"We are engaged in a deliberate and civil and thorough discussion. We are moving toward a strong resolution. All of us, and many others in Congress, are united in our determination to confront an urgent threat to America," he said.

"We're near an agreement. And soon we will speak with one voice."

The Democrats are in the majority in the Senate, while the Republicans hold the majority in the House.

One leading Democratic source said to CNN that the administration had come "about one-third of the way" toward meeting concerns of Congress and that White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales was resisting additional compromises.

"The security of our country is the commitment of both political parties and the responsibility of both elected branches of government," Bush told reporters after the meeting.

But Bush, who has told the United Nations he is ready to order unilateral U.S. action, again highlighted what he described as a danger to the United States from Iraq in his bid to win the support of lawmakers.

"The demands of the U.N. Security Council must be followed. The Iraqi dictator must be disarmed. These requirements will be met or they will be enforced."