By contrast, legislation passed last year by the Republican-controlled House is generally limited to border security. It would expose all of the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants in the country to felony charges; it has no guest worker program.

Presidential aide Karl Rove hoped to make inroads with House members who consider the Senate legalization provision "amnesty." Asked as he departed the Capitol whether he had made progress, he replied, "Could be."

If the Senate or the president insist on "an amnesty-type path to citizenship, it's a nonstarter," said former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who is leaving Congress June 9.

But Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, who heads a group of 100 conservatives in the House, on Tuesday offered his own immigration bill that combines a guest worker program with the House enforcement measure.

GOP Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, the House Judiciary Committee chairman, has insisted that Bush's view and the Senate proposal amount to amnesty. But he left the door open to make a deal.

"I don't think anything is a deal-breaker," Sensenbrenner, who will lead House negotiators, said in a CBS appearance. "We can't have legal proceedings to deport 11 to 12 million people, that is evident."

Also Wednesday, the Senate voted 56-42 to set aside two-thirds of 50,000 visas granted annually by lottery, largely to immigrants in African countries, for people with advanced degrees.

Senators also tacked on additional fees for illegal immigrants for the legalization program, raising total fees and fines to more than $3,200.