Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070724/ap_on_go_co/congress_homeland_security_2

9/11 bill hinges on tipster provision

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer

Tue Jul 24, 11:38 AM ET

Major legislation to implement more of the 9/11 Commission's anti-terrorism recommendations now hinges on a relatively minor provision: whether citizens who report suspicious activity should be immune to lawsuits.

Passage of the bill would be a sizable victory for Democrats who laid out an ambitious legislative agenda when they took control of Congress.

The bill currently in House-Senate negotiations would bring the United States closer to scanning all cargo-containing ships before they leave foreign ports — a measure aimed at preventing a nuclear device from reaching U.S. shores.

But it is a smaller issue that has proven to be the biggest headache as lawmakers hammer out the final version.