11.   For another, Congress has its hands full with major legislation Republicans have promised to act on before April.

12.   Friday may be the last day Congress has to act before Christmas.

13.   He only had seconds to act before two tons of logs crashed down on them all.

14.   If they plan to exclude tobacco stock, they must act before the purchase of all the companies in the index funds are complete.

15.   Jonathan Kraft, Patriots vice president, said the team would wait until the Legislature acted before going to the bank.

16.   Juan Leos, from the Pacoima section of Los Angeles, had never acted before.

17.   Many countries signed the chemical warfare treaty but are waiting for the United States to act before ratifying.

18.   Ms. Salgueiro, who fits in well with the un-self-conscious, home-movie conversational style here, has not acted before.

19.   Other important donor nations are waiting for Washington to act before chipping in their shares.

20.   One person familiar with the company said the board could easily act before the next scheduled meeting, in September.