Washington ? Congress is close to approving penalties against Sudan after lawmakers agreed not to endorse efforts in some states to remove their funds from companies dealing with the Sudanese government.

With violence increasing in the Darfur region of Sudan, a bipartisan group of senators on Thursday called for quick passage of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, which has already cleared the House of Representatives and Senate.

“This is a horrible situation that has gotten worse and things need to happen now,” said Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., who spearheaded the bill.

The measure would impose targeted financial, travel and diplomatic penalties against the Sudan government.

Fighting between government-backed Arab militias and non-Arab rebels has left more than 200,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced since 2003.

More than two years have passed since the U.S. labeled the atrocities in Sudan as genocide, but the killing has accelerated in recent weeks as the Sudanese government has launched a new offensive.

The measure has stalled because the Bush administration opposed the divestment language in the House version.

Democrats, including Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Russ Feingold, D-Wis., said Thursday they agreed to drop that provision given the urgency of halting the violence in Sudan.

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., right, accompanied by Sen. Barak Obama, D-Ill., urges passage of Senate legislation to assist the troubled African region of Darfur in Sudan. Brownback spoke Thursday during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

“Those of us who supported that provision have concluded that it’s more important for us to get something done immediately,” Obama said. “We’re not happy about it, but I think it’s important for us to get something done.”

Once the House and Senate versions are reconciled, the measure goes to President Bush for signing.

U.S. companies are barred from conducting business in Sudan, but Americans have billions of dollars invested in foreign companies that have contributed to Sudan’s profits.

Now that the main sticking point has been resolved, Brownback said he is optimistic that the sanctions bill could pass Congress before it goes into recess at the end of the month.

Brownback stressed that the United States also must keep up the pressure on Sudan to accept a U.N. peacekeeping force.