1.   Among the half dozen Democratic amendments defeated in recent days was one offered by Sarbanes today that would directed the SEC to draft tougher guidelines for securities litigation.

2.   Another possible Democratic amendment would remove a provision requiring television networks to offer campaign advertising time at their lowest rates.

3.   As a sign of their ability to overcome the setback, they pointed to their defeat of the first Democratic amendment to the welfare bill Thursday.

4.   A Democratic amendment along such lines was defeated.

5.   A Democratic amendment to provide that money was narrowly rejected Monday, but Democrats are expected to try again.

6.   A procedural vote expected Wednesday could determine whether the Senate would be allowed to vote on the Democratic amendment.

7.   After working through amendments until just before midnight on Monday, weary senators trooped on and off the Senate floor for votes all day Tuesday on Democratic amendments.

8.   Bush said through his aides last week that he opposed the Democratic amendment that included mandatory background checks on gun-show purchases.

9.   But he has sporadically backed Democratic amendments to change the bill.

10.   But Hatch signed on as a co-sponsor of a Democratic amendment, to be debated next week, that would require the sale of safety locks with all handguns.