41.   Republican Rep. Rob Portman of Ohio said the House Government Reform Committee could pass a companion bill next week also.

42.   Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., has offered a companion bill in the House.

43.   Representatives Christopher Shays, Republican of Connecticut and Martin Meehan, Democrat of Lowell, have filed a companion bill in the House.

44.   Sen. Charles Schumer of New York said he would introduce a companion bill in the Senate.

45.   Senators have been debating a companion education bill on and off for several weeks.

46.   Senate Democratic minority leader Tom Daschle said he had offered to co-sponsor a companion bill with Lott.

47.   Senators completed work on the spending bill and must now await House action on a companion bill.

48.   Smiraldo said the group also backs a companion bill, sponsored in the House by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, Republican of Virginia.

49.   State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, has a companion bill in the Senate.

50.   State Rep. Sue Shear will file a companion bill in the state House.