Bush signs bill to strengthen anti-terror effort

WASHINGTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) US President George W Bush signed a bill today aimed at avoiding another September 11-like attack by providing more money to high-risk cities and expanding air and sea cargo screening.

The measure carries out some recommendations of the commission that investigated the 2001 attacks. It authorizes more than 4 billion dollar in grants for rail, transit and bus security and provides money to help communities upgrade their communications.

''There is still other work to be done,'' Bush said as he signed the legislation.

He cited the need to reform the ''dysfunctional'' way Congress oversees intelligence and counter-terrorism activities and the urgent need to expand the government's powers to eavesdrop on telephone calls and e-mail from abroad.

Bush had threatened to veto the legislation over a provision that would have allowed union rights for some 45,000 airport workers.

Democrats, for whom the bill was a high priority since they took control of Congress last year, backed away from that demand and approved the bill last week.

It requires screening of all cargo on passenger planes within three years. Within five years, all US-bound cargo must be inspected before it is loaded on ships.

Democrats have pushed the cargo screening requirement for years, arguing it would guard against terrorists slipping explosives into the United States. But opponents said 100 percent screening was costly and unnecessary.

REUTERS RS KP2110