21.   Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin endorsed bipartisan legislation to overhaul the Internal Revenue Service today, virtually assuring its passage in the House of Representatives this year.

22.   Passage is virtually assured.

23.   Because the leaders of the major parties support it, its passage is virtually assured.

24.   Brandishing an executive wild card to bolster his weak congressional hold, President Leonel Fernandez on Monday assured passage of key constitutional reforms.

25.   Low attendance is not unusual in voting on bills whose passage is assured.

26.   Low attendance is not unusual in voting bills whose passage is assured.

27.   Passage was assured, though there was extensive debate over proposed amendments.

28.   Passage was virtually assured after conservatives won some concessions on procedures that control spending and agreed to support the blueprint.

29.   Senate passage is nearly assured.

30.   That virtually assured its passage in a lower house vote on Thursday and in the Bundesrat, the upper house, on Friday.