Some lawmakers are backing a bill to help the state's only aquarium solve its financial problems.

After an impassioned debate that went late into the night, the lawmakers backed a proposal allowing research on embryos up to 14 days after conception.

The lawmakers backed Mr. O'Neill's stand when they defeated a bill to make it easier for candidates to get on the ballot.

Under pressure from the White House, the 54-year-old lawmaker also backed the healthcare bill after securing provisions on medical malpractice.

Even many lawmakers who are not usually reform-minded backed the measure.

Mr. Perot said his supporters would keep track of which lawmakers have backed the bill and which have not.

In this Year of the Woman, lawmakers thumpingly backed him, 89 to 4.

Other lawmakers, knowing the industry was smarting because of the decreases in tax deductibility of business meals, also backed the change.

If it does, lawmakers will back away from the part of the act that offers charter schools as a cure-all.

Communist lawmakers, an increasingly important part of his power base, backed Mr. Primakov.