WASHINGTON, Sept 21, 2008 (AFP) - Democrats want accountability built into a massive bailout of the financial industry sought by the administration, leading US senators said Sunday, in a sign of potentional political snags for the plan.

In an interview with Fox News television, Senator Chuck Schumer said there would have to be changes to the plan requested in crisis meetings with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson last week.

'Taxpayers -- they have to come first. Homeowners -- we have to do something about the mortgage crisis, not just foreclosures but the price of housing, which is affecting everyone on Main Street.

'And oversight -- we need some accountability here,' he said.

Schumer also said that the flagging economy needs a stimulus package, but said 'it doesn't necessarily have to be part of the bailout.'

'I think our leaders both in the House and Senate are coming to the conclusion it should be alongside the bailout, but not part of it,' he said.

On Saturday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer called for fast, but cautious action.

'While we must act quickly, we also need to act prudently. And, we must ensure that the average working American benefits from this action,' he said in a statement.

Hoyer said he would 'make changes necessary to provide accountability, help working Americans and protect the taxpayer's interest.'

But Republicans cautioned against adding too much to the Treasury request.

'We don't need 535 members of congress putting their best ideas into this bill,' House Minority Leader John Boehner said on ABC news, adding that the world was facing the worst financial crisis in history if lawmakers do not act.

'We need to keep it clean, simple, move it through the House and Senate and get it on the president's desk, so that the secretary can, in fact, intervene as quickly as possible.

The plan, which the President George W. Bush's administration sent to Congress late Friday, gives Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson sweeping authority over the next two years to buy up to 700 billion dollars of toxic mortgage-related assets to stem the grave financial crisis, according to a draft proposal.

Democrat Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd agreed that 'clean and simple' bill was necessary, but also called for changes to the proposal.

'I want it clean and simple, but again, I want accountability, I want some reciprocity here that doesn't get away and complicate the secretary's job,' he told ABC.

'We're going to be talking about this for decades, and while we need to act quickly on this, there is an expectation as well that we'll act intelligently about this,' he said.