1.   The Senate approved the bill.

2.   The bill was approved by a large majority.

3.   Also on Tuesday, the U.S. House approved a bill that would send financial incentives to states that impose tough mandatory sentences on criminals who carry guns.

4.   Also on Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would create an independent inspector general who would look only at the FBI.

5.   Although approving the bill, the Commerce Committee planned to return to consider some minor amendments next week.

6.   Although the House panel needed barely an hour to approve the bill today, Gekas is ready for more opposition in the weeks ahead.

7.   An income tax bill was recently approved in the House with the support of many Republicans representing poor school districts in need of state dollars.

8.   And if the State Legislature does not approve several bills, the underpinnings of the budget could crumble.

9.   And Monday, both houses approved a bill that would make it easier to prosecute pedophiles.

10.   And in recent days, administration officials have begun strenuously objecting to a provision that had largely gone unnoticed when the bill was approved by the committee.