71.   Congress is so riven by partisan divisions that it has been unable to reach a budget agreement this fall and has become something of a case study in gridlock.

72.   Complicating matters is the balanced budget agreement that the House and Senate approved last week, although the two chambers still need to resolve some differences.

73.   Congressional leaders and President Clinton labored to put together a budget agreement and actually succeeded.

74.   Congress and the president agreed to reduce the rate at which gains from investments such as stocks are taxed as part of this months budget agreement.

75.   Conservative Republican opponents thought the bill, which follows the parameters of the balanced budget agreement, contained too much discretionary spending.

76.   Credit and charge card companies that offer frequent flier mileage awards for purchases say a provision in the new U.S. budget agreement is bad news for cardholders.

77.   Congressional leaders warned today that a budget agreement was unlikely to be reached this week.

78.   Delays in reaching a final budget agreement are not unprecedented, he said.

79.   Democrats see a budget agreement as an opportunity to define the Democratic Party.

80.   Despite that problem, a budget agreement is still one handshake away.