1. Lawmakers passed the bill after defeating two amendments that would have gutted it. 2. Assuming that count holds, one more Republican vote is needed to defeat the amendment. 3. A direct vote on the measure seems unlikely unless proponents can muster enough support to defeat an amendment by Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss. 4. A handful of Republican senators joined Democrats in defeating an amendment sponsored by Dole that would have allowed the creation of tax-exempt medical savings accounts. 5. A tie vote defeats an amendment. 6. Both amendments were defeated by voice votes, with Johnson being the only Republican to speak out for the proposals. 7. But he feared that Delay and other Republicans would have defeated the amendment. 8. Conservative leader Paul Pressler of Houston pledged to rally supporters to defeat the amendment. 9. First, they must defeat any amendment aimed at opening the Arctic refuge to drilling. 10. Friday, for example, the House defeated an amendment to exempt laws intended to regulate financial institutions. |