``We are close to the end of this process,'' White House press secretary Joe Lockhart said yesterday, as Clinton was to review answers to 81 questions posed by Rep Henry Hyde, chairman of the house judiciary committee.

Lockhart declined to specify whether the responses, due either today or on Friday, would provide extensive answers or refer the committee back to Clinton's previous testimony given last January in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit and before the grand jury in August.

Independent counsel Kenneth Starr has reported to the House of Representatives that Clinton lied under oath on both those occasions, but the president has denied committing perjury.

Hyde has been pressing Clinton to submit the answers so Hyde can meet his timetable tofinish the inquiry by the end of the year. Tentatively, the committee is to debate articles of impeachment the week of December 7, with a vote in the full House possible the week of December 14.

A senior House Republican leadership aide told the Washington Post that a survey by leaders of the 228 House Republicans shows that 20 of them might vote against impeachment on a single perjury count. It said 30 might vote against an obstruction of justice count. Impeachment would require 218 votes.

The newspaper also quoted judiciary committee sources as saying the panel may give the White House a full day of public hearings the week of December 7 to answer the charges against Clinton.