WASHINGTON, Oct 2, 2008 (AFP) - Leading Democrats voiced optimism on Thursday that the House of Representatives would back a revised financial rescue package amid intense negotiations ahead of the pivotal vote.

'We are not going to take a bill to the floor that doesn't have the votes. I am optimistic that we will take a bill to the floor,' Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives, told reporters.

The Democrat and leaders from both parties saw their efforts to pass the bailout bill collapse Monday when rebel Democrats and a majority of Republican lawmakers refused to support the measure, sending US and global markets into a tailspin.

Pelosi urged prompt passage of the amended proposal to stave off more economic turmoil.

'If we do not act, hard-working Americans and millions of people will see the American dream evaporate. So that is why it is very important to pass this legislation and we are working hard to do so,' she said.

The vote on the revised bill, passed by the Senate on Wednesday, is expected in the House on Friday.

Pelosi said she was optimistic changes to the measure, including tax breaks, would attract more support while retaining the 141 Democratic members who voted for the earlier proposal.

'We still want to see if we have the 141 votes that we had before and that seems to be coming in pretty well,' Pelosi said.

She said an amendment to raise the ceiling on federal insurance for bank deposits from 100,000 to 250,000 dollars was also a 'welcome' change that should secure votes for passage.

Pelosi said party members were fighting to add a 1,000-dollar family tax deduction, saying 'that was an important issue for some of us to take home for homeowners.'

As global markets hung on the outcome, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said negotiations on the bill between party leaders would continue into Thursday evening and that members were aware the clock was ticking.

'At this point in time, we are going to have discussions tonight but one of the things that everybody has emphasized is the need to move this quickly,' the Democrat from Maryland said.

The amendments the Senate added to the rescue plan raised the cost of the bill about 150 billion dollars, angering some moderate Democrats concerned about expanding the massive budget deficit.

The initial plan called for 700 billion dollars to allow the US Treasury Department to buy up toxic mortgage-related assets held by banks.

Hoyer said he believed most of the Democrats who backed the original proposal were ready to renew their support in a second round of voting and expressed hope more Republicans would heed appeals from their party leadership and fellow Republican President George W. Bush.

'On our side, I think we are not losing substantial votes,' Hoyer said.

'We were hoping the Republicans would come up with half of their votes or at least a very significant number. I think they are trying.'

He added: 'I think the Republican leaders were very disappointed that they didn't get many more of their members to support what their president asked them to do.'

Leaders of the Democratic majority also were lobbying Republicans to agree to an extension of unemployment insurance to ease the pain of a troubled economy, Hoyer said.

Conservative Republican opponents of the bailout say the plan would allow too big a role for the government in the economy while some liberal Democrats say the rescue does not go far enough in setting limits and penalties for financial firms.

In the House vote on Monday, 220 members voted against and 205 in favor of the bailout, with 60 percent of Democratic lawmakers in support and 67 percent of Republicans voting 'nay.'

Hoyer cited opinion polls showing public opinion now divided on the bailout.

'Pretty evenly divided,' Hoyer said. 'Sounds like the members of Congress.'