Top Democrat hopes US bailout deal ready by Saturday

WASHINGTON: House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi voiced hope Saturday that an agreement on principle between lawmakers and the White House could be reached within the day on a Wall Street bailout plan.

"It would be my hope that it could be resolved today, that we have a day for the American people and members of Congress to review the legislation through the Internet, and that we could bring something to the floor possibly Sunday night or Monday morning," she told reporters outside her Capitol Hill office, where feverish negotiations were underway on the legislation were underway.

President George W. Bush's administration hopes to push through an unprecedented 700 billion dollar rescue plan for foundering Wall Street to provide an emergency line of credit for the troubled banking sector.

"There is a meeting going on in my office between Senate and House Democrats and Republicans ... with the administration, to take us further down the road to legislation to stabilize the market and to protect the tax payers," Pelosi said.

"Protecting the tax payer is our first responsibility," she added.

Pelosi said some modifications to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's bailout blueprint had already been made.

"One thing is for sure, we are not leaving until this legislation is passed," Pelosi said.

Congress had been scheduled to adjourn on Friday until the November 4 presidential election.