Republicans, in general, oppose mandates, saying that Washington should not impose its will on states in election administration.

They oppose filtering mandates because the software often blocks Web pages that provide information on subjects like AIDS, breast cancer, even debates on free speech issues.

There is also disagreement as to whether federal mandates would be constitutional, and state initiatives opposing federal mandates may lead to litigation and delay.

With a huge investment in gasoline production, they oppose subsidies or mandates that promote the use of alcohols, like methanol, in motor fuels.

Some Democrats were in the conservation category, too, but others took the position of the United Auto Workers, which has generally opposed stricter mandates.

Mr. Conyers said in an interview that those who opposed mandates did so because they felt mandates would not pass Congress and be signed by the president.

But small employers bitterly oppose mandates because, they say, it will bury them in costs and force them to lay off workers.

"We oppose mandates," said Christine Russell, a spokeswoman for the United States Chamber of Commerce.

And so we oppose mandates for that reason.

However, consumer surveys indicate that a strong majority of Colorado motorists oppose both gasohol mandates and gasohol subsidies.