WASHINGTON (AP) _ Congress approved the use of America's military might against Iraq, reinforcing President Bush's insistence that Saddam Hussein's government had no other option but to disarm. "The days of Iraq acting as an outlaw state are coming to an end," Bush said.

After days of solemn debate, both the House and Senate passed and sent to the White House a resolution authorizing the president to use military force, if necessary, to compel Iraq to get rid of its biological and chemical weapons and disband its nuclear weapons program.

The president, who has stressed that he has made no decision on launching a military strike against Baghdad, prevailed despite lingering Democratic concerns about the risks of a pre-emptive, unilateral strike on Iraq.

"The Congress has spoken clearly to the international community and the United Nations Security Council," Bush said Friday in a statement. "Saddam Hussein and his outlaw regime pose a grave threat to the region, the world and the United States. Inaction is not an option, disarmament is a must."

It was a major national security policy victory for Bush, and it occurred less than a month before midterm elections that will decide control of the House and Senate.

The House approved the resolution by a strong 296-133 margin Thursday. The Senate vote, coming early Friday, was 77-23.

The resolution emphasizes the need to work with the United Nations and exhaust diplomatic measures before resorting to force but allows the president to act with or without the United Nations. There was a sense that war was inevitable.

"Giving peace a chance only gives Saddam Hussein more time to prepare for war _ on his terms, at a time of his choosing," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Bush, speaking to reporters after the House vote, said it "sends a clear message to the Iraqi regime: It must disarm and comply with all U.N. resolutions or it will be forced to comply."

Bush is pressing the U.N. Security Council to adopt a new resolution requiring Iraq to submit to unconditional inspections and disarm or face military retaliation.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said "talks are progressing" at the Security Council on wording of a new resolution that all five-veto holding permanent members can support. The United States and Britain continue to encounter resistance from France, Russia and China.