"This is a good blueprint, sufficient to call a down payment."

Mr. Cisneros called it a "down payment on the crime bill" that is now before Congress.

And the Hrrubans may profit by it - call it a payment in kind for the rent of the colony estate.

This is called a direct payment.

He thus called his proposal "a down payment" toward restoring $5 billion cut from child nutrition programs since 1981.

Such a payment has often been called a voluntary payment.

Governor Blanco called it a "down payment" and said the plan would upgrade the levees to a "true Category 3 level."

Mr. Mineta called the grants a "down payment" on a commitment of $4.55 billion for transportation projects in the city.

They called the extra billions a small down payment toward beefing up the post-cold-war Pentagon.

He called the mainstream plan "a very impressive down payment toward moving us toward universal coverage."