Hours before the vote on the $124. 2 billion Iraq war spending conference report today, Democratic leaders were confident of winning adoption even as they worked to garner the support of undecided lawmakers.

“There are still some people we have to talk to but I think we will pass it,” a top Democratic aide said.

Like the version of the bill (HR 1591) that passed the House narrowly, 218-212, last month, the conference report is expected to squeak by, with almost no backing from Republicans. Democrats have pledged to have the bill to President Bush’s desk by April 30, and he is expected to veto the measure. Senate adoption is expected Thursday.

The vote on the measure was to occur hours after a bipartisan closed meeting on the war with Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Peter Pace and Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte, giving Democrats time to shore up support.

Democratic leaders were struggling to win the votes of some anti-war Democrats who believe the Iraq war restrictions do not go far enough. The conference report includes a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, but the dates for withdrawal — by the end of this year if the Iraqis do not meet certain benchmarks, and by the end of March 2008 if they do — are non-binding.