Bailout bumps into discontent

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Political wrangling over the U.S. Treasury's $700 billion bailout proposal for financial firms leaves the bill's final form up in the air, leaders said.

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr. withstood five hours of questioning in a U.S. Senate Banking Committee hearing Tuesday, The New York Times reported.

Bernanke insisted a failure to help banks would be "a major drag on the U.S. economy."

Six weeks before a national election, many Republicans found themselves aligned against a Republican administration.

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney meet with House of Representatives Republicans but the meeting didn't quell "the growing discontent" over the plan, Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., said.

Democrats have asked the bill include help for homeowners and limits on compensation packages for executives whose companies take part in the bailout.