Mr. Xiang tried to reassure such big investors, saying that the tax administration will consider exemptions for companies that have already signed contracts.

In each case, the Council set up a committee of all 15 Council members to oversee the embargo and consider exemptions.

With stars such as Michael Johnson and Dan O'Brien injured and not competing here, track's world governing body has said it would consider exemptions to the worlds for reigning Olympic and world champions and world record-holders.

But the arbitrators ruled in many of the cases that since the schools had been running over the contractual class-size limits for years, the large classes could no longer be considered exemptions.

"The real importance of this may lie in the Federal Reserve's willingness to consider exemptions to this statute," said Rogdin Cohen, a lawyer with Sullivan & Cromwell, which worked on behalf of First Union.

The U.S. Government remains reluctant to consider broad exemptions from ITAR because of continuing concerns regarding the adverse effect unauthorized release of USML items can have on U.S. national security.

The act provided what had been considered sweeping exemptions to the insurance industry from antitrust law.

Having said this, I am looking into the establishment of nutrient profiles with an open mind and I am ready to consider positively certain exemptions as they relate to traditional and basic products with an important dietary role.

Senator John McCain of Arizona, the committee's ranking Republican, asked Secretary Mineta whether the administration was considering exemptions on its own for large airports that now appear unlikely to meet the baggage screening deadline.

"A number of municipalities have raised the issue, and we are considering exemptions for municipally owned pools," he conceded.