His original bill called for the panel to focus on how well school decentralization has worked.

Now states are waiting to see how much of the original bill will survive.

"The original bill was 101 pages, just so you know."

Indeed, Democrats produced the original bill more than two years ago and almost passed a measure last year.

"Silver is talking about going beyond the original bill," he said.

Several months later, the company made him a second offer: $150,000, or less than a fifth of his original bill.

The conference committee made several changes in the original bill.

None of the other arms control provisions in the original bill was altered.

In response, the Bush administration's original bill has been changed.

The original bill set this program at 400,000 people a year.