Aides cautioned that no decisions have been made and that the situation remains fluid.

Because voting against a combination bill would result in a government shutdown, the idea of attaching the bailout bill to the continuing resolution is appealing to leaders, aides said.

Additionally, it would give Congress a way around the requirement that all spending legislation originate in the House: Since the CR has passed the House, the Senate could simply take up the CR, add the bailout language, return it to the House for an up-or-down vote and then send it to President Bush.