The House and Senate yesterday came closer to approving financial help to the airline industry, including laid-off workers, but House lawmakers included a provision capping executive salaries and benefits at last year's rates.

The supplemental spending measure passed by House Appropriations contained $235 million for airport modifications to install explosives-detection equipment.

Senate appropriators during a markup of the President's Fiscal Year 2003 war supplemental approved a package worth $3.5 billion, a compromise between the Republican-proposed $2.8 billion airline aid and additional funds requested by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) that would also help laid-off airline workers. Murray said the money would also increase funds to airports to pay for security.

The deal is expected to go to the Senate floor this week. Senate Republicans, outraged over airline executives' bonuses paid at a time of increasing bankruptcies and industry job losses, pledged last week that they would include language in any aid bill to cap executive compensation for airlines seeking federal relief. As of press time yesterday, there was no indication that such language was included in the amendment approved by Senate appropriators.