President Bush on Friday night signed into law a $5.3-billion bill that extends jobless benefits for an estimated 3 million Americans and said some checks may be delivered by Thanksgiving.

Bush signed the legislation after the Senate adopted it on a 91-2 vote and had it rushed to him at his Camp David, Md., retreat. The passage of the measure ends a four-month stalemate between Congress and the White House over the extended benefits.

Prodded by Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and several other senators, the Senate leadership worked out the substitute package.