1.   As head of the foreign relations panel, Helms has broad powers to block the appointment.

2.   Ashcroft has a political record of opposing school integration and blocking the appointment of minorities to high federal jobs and judgeships.

3.   Both houses passed versions of the legislation in April, but Kennedy has blocked the appointment of Senate conferees to work out a final agreement between the different measures.

4.   Democrats in the Senate may use parliamentary maneuvers to block appointment of a House-Senate conference committee.

5.   Filibusters are rarely used to block presidential appointments under the theory that controversial nominees deserve an up-or-down vote by the full Senate.

6.   Gary Hoitsma, an Inhofe spokesman, agreed this week that Ashcroft, a Judiciary Committee member, did not sign a letter pledging to block appointments.

7.   He also has continued to use his power to block appointments to win concessions on various issues.

8.   He also helped block the appointment of Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court.

9.   He also gained national recognition when he helped block the appointment of Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court.

10.   Helms announced that he would block her appointment unless she apologized for a speech she made six years ago on the Senate floor.