The petition device was made necessary when a bitter procedural fight last month kept Shays-Meehan from the floor.

The Cuno group filed the action in state court, only to have DaimlerChrysler, Toledo and Ohio win a procedural fight to have it moved to federal court.

Senate Democrats said they calculated that more Republicans would join them on a vote against the proposal itself rather than a procedural fight where Republicans opposed to the amendment might side with their leadership.

Republicans are trying to decide whether to force a procedural fight on one of the renominated candidates, who are expected to clear the panel and be ready for a floor vote as early as next month.

Instead, much of the day was given over to a procedural fight in the House.

Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, agreed, as the Senate looked toward another procedural fight next week over Iraq: "We succeed even if we don't get 60 votes."

Both sides say the procedural fight over the Democrats' power as the minority party could take place within the next two weeks and will shape the contests over nominees to the Supreme Court.

Colonel Makalanos explained to him that the reason Hilda had left was that some sort of procedural fight was going on.

But in hopes of avoiding a bitter procedural fight, he said he would allow a few days for discussions and negotiations before trying to bring the bill to the Senate floor.

The whole thing had gone on too long, two days of balloting following two days of procedural fights, and all in the middle of a sweltering Georgia summer.