The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill giving the Bush administration authority to question and try detained terror suspects using U.S. military commissions.
The representatives voted in favor of the measure Wednesday. It is similar to a bill the Senate is currently debating.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that President Bush needed congressional approval to create military tribunals.
The House bill reflects a compromise reached between the White House and several top Senate Republicans to tone down the Bush administration's original plan to aggressively interrogate suspects if necessary.
Many in congress said that plan could have violated the Geneva Convention against torture.
The new measure allows the White House to approve other legal methods of obtaining information from suspects.
Many Democrats say who voted against the measure Wednesday say it still unfairly curbs suspects' legal rights.
A final compromise between the House bill and the version still being considered by the Senate must be reached before the measure goes to the president.
The representatives voted in favor of the measure Wednesday. It is similar to a bill the Senate is currently debating.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that President Bush needed congressional approval to create military tribunals.
The House bill reflects a compromise reached between the White House and several top Senate Republicans to tone down the Bush administration's original plan to aggressively interrogate suspects if necessary.
Many in congress said that plan could have violated the Geneva Convention against torture.
The new measure allows the White House to approve other legal methods of obtaining information from suspects.
Many Democrats say who voted against the measure Wednesday say it still unfairly curbs suspects' legal rights.
A final compromise between the House bill and the version still being considered by the Senate must be reached before the measure goes to the president.