Giuliani administration officials, in turn, said they would probably go to court to block the deal.

"It is my intention to lay the foundation to block the deal," he said.

The committee did not have the power to block the deal.

But their vote, expected in January, could block the deal.

Under the law governing this kind of agreement, Congress has 30 days in which it can block the deal.

Some have already filed a suit to block the deal.

And yesterday, a consumer group said it planned to try to block the deal.

A big question is whether employees will block the current deal.

Another dispute from the bankruptcy case could block the deal.

Government officials had threatened to block the deal because of antitrust concerns.