Although it was widely believed Congress would pass and the President would sign the $388 billion omnibus spending bill before Thanksgiving, it appears now the must-pass legislation will remain on hold until Dec. 6 when Congress will reconvene for a second lame-duck session to work on its passage. The bill, H.R. 4818, includes the nine remaining appropriations bills Congress left unfinished when the fiscal year ended, as well as numerous other riders and provisions.

With the election two weeks behind us, attention has shifted to what this administration plans to do in its second term. President Bush has specifically cited two major objectives: to make his tax cuts permanent, and to make significant changes in both the federal tax code and Social Security.