The US government will back any international body monitoring the IRA's ceasefire as part of a deal to restore devolution in the North.
With all sides in Belfast still in deadlock in the peace process, a verification commission has been suggested as a way of ruling on alleged paramilitary activity.
President George Bush's special adviser on Northern Ireland, Mr Richard Haass, said the US was ready to become involved.
He told the BBC: "We supported, for example, the verification body that dealt with arms decommissioning in the past; there's an American on that, and we would be more than prepared to recommend that some American support this new body".
Any such body is expected to include representatives from the British, Irish and American administrations.
The Ulster Unionists want some way of checking republicans' commitment to peace before they will agree to return to power-sharing with Sinn Féin after the suspected IRA spy plot brought down the Stormont regime last October.
Mr Haass's comments came as pressure mounted for the IRA to make the huge move on disarmament now needed to rescue the peace process.
After marathon two-day talks at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down earlier this week, the Taoiseach and British Prime Minister Tony Blair have yet to close a deal with the pro-Belfast Agreement parties.
The elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly have been delayed by four weeks to May 29th in an attempt to provide the time needed for further talks.
PA