Since Mr. Rostenkowski was indicted, Mr. Gibbons has directed aides to continue as they were, preparing first-draft legislation based on an expansion of the Medicare system that has already been approved by a Ways and Means subcommittee.

Mr. DeWine said he had directed aides to watch the entire impeachment debate and interrupt him if there were significant developments.

The Senate Whitewater Committee, completing its 13-month investigation, has concluded that Hillary Rodham Clinton directed aides to prevent investigators from examining politically sensitive documents in the White House office of deputy counsel Vincent W. Foster Jr. after he killed himself nearly three years ago.

In the past week, Secretary Rumsfeld has also directed aides to help allies, including those in the Middle East, acquire the vaccine and so protect themselves against smallpox attack, a senior military official said.

Selig, anticipating the request, had already directed aides to begin gathering information about the trade and Sirotka's condition.

President Clinton directed aides to pay attention after the Hollywood producer Harry Thomason suggested a business partner to him for a consulting contract, memorandums at a Congressional hearing showed today.

One of the charges that was dropped in the plea bargaining with Mr. O'Connor was a charge that he had directed aides to damage the restaurant, Bankers and Brokers, in Battery Park City.

He has directed aides to use the report issued in September by the advisory panel, the United States Commission on Immigration Reform, as a blueprint to draft legislation to disband the agency.

Last week, President Clinton directed aides to assemble a task force to coordinate an investigation of cold war records that could lead to proposals for compensation.

Last February the two presidents directed aides to fashion a broad new deal on immigration by the time Mr. Fox came to Washington.