11.   Competing proposals for a short-term fix by the White House and congressional Republicans are quite similar in their basics.

12.   Competing proposals for that system, which is intended to protect computer data transmissions well into the next century, will be submitted this summer.

13.   Competing proposals have been drafted but have no significant political or financial support.

14.   Competing proposals on strengthening patients rights have been among the most contentious issues on Capitol Hill over the last five years.

15.   Currently, there are two competing proposals.

16.   Each majority in the Senate and the Assembly, for example, is advancing a competing proposal for deregulating hospitals that the other house is against.

17.   Even some members with competing proposals have indicated that they may withdraw their bills to help the cause.

18.   Hawke said lawmakers will begin debating competing proposals this winter.

19.   He is currently vacationing in the Caribbean, indicating a competing proposal might not be imminent.

20.   In a sign of the difficulty lawmakers were having striking an agreement, the Senate, in essence, backed two competing proposals on Wednesday morning.