Congress Never Debated Use of Wiretaps, Says Ex-senate Chief

Congress had reservations about granting George Bush expanded wartime powers after the September 11 attacks and never discussed the use of wiretaps without warrants on US citizens, a former Senate majority leader said yesterday.

The assertion by Tom Daschle, a Democrat, undermined a week-long effort by Mr Bush to damp down a controversy over the secret domestic surveillance operation by arguing that it was authorised by Congress.

In an opinion piece for the Washington Post, Mr Daschle described his central role in negotiations following September 11 to draft a resolution authorising Mr Bush to go to war against Osama bin Laden.

"Congress denied the president the more expansive authority he sought and insisted that his authority be used specifically against Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida," Mr Daschle wrote.

The White House went on to seek a last-minute amendment - minutes before the Senate vote, according to Mr Daschle - that would have given the president expanded powers not only against an overseas enemy but within the US.

He added: "The Bush administration now argues those powers were inherently contained in the resolution adopted by Congress - but at the time, the administration clearly felt they weren't or it wouldn't have tried to insert the additional language."

Meanwhile, there was further alarm at a call by Dick Cheney, the vice-president, for an expanded use of presidential power.

"The president of the United States needs to have his constitutional powers unimpaired, if you will, in terms of the conduct of national security policy," Mr Cheney told reporters aboard Air Force Two this week. The demand led the New York Times to rebuke Mr Cheney, saying he was using September 11 to advance his case for an "imperial presidency".