If a last-minute provision in the Senate farm bill becomes law, irradiated hamburger could become known by a more appealing name: pasteurized beef.

In Sparta, N.J., we stopped for last-minute provisions at a market where Sophie grabbed a "Pocahontas" video.

But last week, Senate and House Republicans on the Agriculture appropriations subcommittee inserted a last-minute provision into the department's fiscal 2006 budget specifying that certain artificial ingredients could be used in organic food.

Republicans, Mr. Obey noted, had no problem inserting a last-minute provision protecting drug companies from vaccine lawsuits.

The last-minute provision makes it possible for certified organic farms to give their animals conventional feed containing antibiotics and pesticides and still allow them to label the meat as "certified organic."

But Mr. Wicker insisted that his last-minute provision was not intended to block rules to make upholstered furniture safer.

In an effort to raise revenues, tax writers in Congress added a last-minute provision that retroactively increased taxes for Americans living abroad.

One of his few, hasty, last-minute provisions prior to setting out for Elysia had been to load the time-clock with three bottles of the very best cognac.

Congressional officials on both sides of the aisle say Speaker J. Dennis Hastert added the last-minute provisions at the request of Representative Nathan Deal, Republican of Georgia.

Republicans also inserted a last-minute provision that would delay by a year the start of screening airport baggage for explosives.