1.   He was briefed by Virginia Gov. James S. Gilmore III, who headed another panel which recommended a counterterrorist or homeland defense agency.

2.   President Bush had dismissed the prescient proposals of former Sens. Gary Hart and Warren Rudman for a conglomeration of homeland security agencies.

3.   Pressure appeared to be building for setting up a separate homeland security agency with a director who would be confirmed by the Senate.

4.   ---The Bush administration is considering consolidating all border security functions into a single homeland defense agency, which has not yet been clearly defined.

5.   While Congress seems poised to tweak the plan, leaders say they expect some version of a new homeland security agency to win congressional approval.

6.   Would moving the plant and animal inspectors out of the Agriculture Department to the homeland agency give short shrift to food safety?