The term `unlawful enemy combatant' means an individual engaged in hostilities against the United States who is not a lawful enemy combatant.

The term `lawful enemy combatant' means an individual who is--

(A) a member of the regular forces of a State party engaged in hostilities against the United States;

(B) a member of a militia, volunteer corps, or organized resistance movement belonging to a State party engaged in such hostilities, which are under responsible command, wear a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance, carry their arms openly, and abide by the law of war; or

(C) a member of a regular armed force who professes allegiance to a government engaged in such hostilities, but not recognized by the United States.

House and Senate Republicans were working behind the scenes today to attach last-minute provisions to a major maritime security bill, including the court security and online gambling legislation that Republican leaders sought unsuccessfully this week to add to the FY07 defense authorization bill. These lawmakers also indicated it was not likely they would convene another formal conference meeting, preventing Democrats from adding amendments to the final conference agreement on the bill. This prompted outrage among minority lawmakers and staff today.

At least three provisions emerged as late candidates for additions to the bill: beefing up security at the nation's courts, including language allowing judges to carry concealed guns; providing liability protections to phone companies that assist with the government's wiretapping program; and cracking down on the $12 billion online gambling industry, lawmakers and aides said. The court security provision had been tied to a House border security provision targeting immigrant gangs and criminal illegal aliens, but the two have been separated, a knowledgeable aide said. The immigration provision will be held until the lame-duck session after the Nov. 7 elections, the aide added.

House Homeland Security Chairman King declined to comment on the latest negotiations, saying only, "All this is in flux." The port security bill is an attractive target because it is viewed as one of the last legislative vehicles to be passed by Congress before lawmakers head home to campaign. "If I were to bet, we'll finish it up today," said House Homeland Security Economic Security Subcommittee Chairman Daniel Lungren, R-Calif., who co-authored the underlying port bill. "I think we're going to be here late."

At presstime, House leaders still had not circulated final bill language, even though a vote is expected tonight. Democrats and their aides in both chambers were outraged that they might not get to offer amendments at a conference meeting and that they had yet to see the final bill language. One conference meeting was held late Thursday night, but there was no bill language and no amendments were allowed to be offered. "That was all pomp and circumstance last night," said Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J. "And it was less circumstance and more pomp." A House GOP aide countered, "We had every intention of reconvening the conference, it's coming down to the wire." When asked if another conference meeting would be held and amendments allowed, Lungren said, "I don't think that's going to happen."

Democrats were mounting a protest by presstime. "Some of the Democrats that were on the conference committee are in the process of putting together a formal response to Chairman King. It is probably going to go in the form of a letter," one aide said. It was not clear if Democrats might withhold their signatures to the conference report. "It remains to be seen if people are willing to sign off when the process has been so messed up," an aide said. Still, Pascrell acknowledged that most Democrats will probably still vote for the bill, given the importance of improving the security of U.S. ports and commercial shipping.

A bill to make 361 seaports safer from biological, chemical or nuclear attacks neared final votes in the House and Senate. Democrats complained it shorted security for railroads and mass transit. Republicans added a measure to restrict Internet gambling.