Defying a veto threat from US President George W. Bush, the House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a compromise war funding bill which sets a timetable to withdraw troops from Iraq.

The sharply-divided House voted 218-208 to pass the legislation, which requires the Bush administration to start withdrawing troops from Iraq by Oct. 1.

The US$124.2 billion bill, a compromised version agreed by House and Senate negotiators earlier this week, is expected to reach Bush's desk by early next week following a final Senate vote Thursday.

The bill also sets a non-binding March 31 goal to pull out all US combat troops from Iraq.

Last month, both the House and Senate have attached language to their respective version of the war funding bill calling for US combat troops to leave Iraq in 2008 -- the House by the end of August, the Senate by March of that year.

The original House version of the bill had set a firm date for withdrawal.

However, the compromise measure the House took up Wednesday is somewhat weaker in that respect, in order to boost its chance to win support in the Senate vote.

Bush has repeatedly said he will veto any bill with a timetable to withdraw troops from Iraq.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino was quick to reject the House vote, saying that the House "voted for failure in Iraq and the president will veto its bill."

"The House has passed disappointing legislation that insists on a surrender date, handcuffs our generals, and contains billions of dollars in spending unrelated to the war," Perino said in a statement issued after the House vote.

"The president calls on the Senate to quickly pass this legislation so the president can veto it and then work with the Congressional leadership on a clean bill that funds our troops while respecting the judgment of our military commanders and helping ensure the safety of the American people," she said.

Last week, Bush invited lawmakers of both parties to the White House to discuss the impasse on funding the Iraq war, but neither side showed any signs of backing down.

If he vetoes the bill, which looks certain, Congress will need a two-third majority to overthrow the veto. Otherwise, Congress will have to draft a new funding bill and send to Bush again.

With neither side willing to back down, an impasse will be a certainty.

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2007)