Los Angeles: A campaign is building in Washington DC for Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to address a joint meeting of US Congress, a rare honour bestowed on world leaders including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and Pope Francis.

In the aftermath of Mr Turnbull's volatile phone call with US President Donald Trump, two senior Democrats believe an invite would reinforce America's "long- standing, close relationship" with Australia.

Eliot Engel, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee from New York and Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee from Washington, have penned a letter to Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan urging Mr Turnbull be sent the invitation.

"An invitation to the prime minister, in consultation with the executive branch, to visit and address Congress would be very well received," Representatives Engel and Smith wrote.