By a near unanimous vote (Heflin was absent), the senators pledged their support to their leader and his stance against bigotry.

More than 60 senators have already pledged to support him, and the leaders of both parties said they expected to hold the full vote on Tuesday.

But some senators are pledging to fight the ballooning supplemental appropriation, which they say should be used for emergency spending only.

The eight representatives and three senators who joined Mr. Richardson, all with active or defunct weapons plants in their districts or states, pledged to try for quick action.

Needless to say, the senator has already pledged to give up smoking before the end of the campaign.

The senators on the committee, Republicans and Democrats, pledged to help him in his efforts to reshape the agency.

The 14 senators have pledged to block the rule change or to allow filibusters only in "extraordinary circumstances."

The senator has pledged not to rely on his vast fortune to fund his campaigns, and the AT&T contributions represent about 2% of the money he raised during the previous year.

But this custom will largely end, the senators pledged, because it is corroding the image of state government.

The senators pledged to push for the aid at a hearing of the Council Finance Committee.