Among the proposed requirements was one advanced by Mr. Volcker, who was named to lead a board asked to make changes at the firm.

As for the proposed requirements on banks and brokerage firms, Mr. Smith said they sounded moderate.

He added that "the vast majority of specialists would probably be in compliance with the proposed requirements already."

They said that by the end of this year even some desktop computers will fall under the proposed requirements.

The decision should put an end to efforts to carve a gaping religious loophole in proposed requirements for contraceptive coverage.

Democrats said the proposed requirements could discourage participation by blacks and Hispanic Americans.

Compliance with the proposed requirements would be mandatory.

Many ballots were arbitrarily thrown out because they slightly deviated from the proposed requirements.

However, the proposed requirements on the marking of unprocessed Category 1 material can be accepted only in the case of specified risk material.

Amendments Nos 1, 2, 3 and 4 are an appropriate supplement to the proposed requirements, and can be accepted with some changes of wording.