News In Brief

The House education committee has put off consideration of a bill that would replace a number of education programs with a block grant, as well as legislation to reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and may not ACT on either measure until next year.

"We are in a bit of a holding pattern right now," said Cheri Jacobus, the spokeswoman for the House Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee.

She said the committee's time has been spent preparing for conferences with the Senate on student-loan issues that will be part of a budget-reconciliation package, welfare reform,...