House and Senate negotiators decided to continue federal funding for the arts. But the funds must be distributed more widely, and amounts to larger states will be capped. The House voted to bar the use of statistical sampling in the 2000 census, saying the Census Bureau can proceed with the controversial survey method only if the Supreme Court decides it's constitutional. US astronaut Scott Parazynski planned to take a stroll in space with Russian cosmonaut Vladimir Titov outside the Mir space station. The men were to retrieve four suitcase-shaped experiment boxes attached to the docking module by Americans last year.
Researchers plan to test the contents for their exposure to space.
Mir's crew also planned to hook up a new computer. The White House is expecting Attorney General Janet Reno to order a formal 90-day inquiry tomorrow into allegations that Vice President Gore made dozens of phone calls from the White House to solicit campaign contribution, USA Today said. Gore has admitted making the calls, but says he acted lawfully. The bid came just before MCI and British Telecommunications PLC planned to close a deal. A flurry of meteorologists was expected to blow into Washington to hear Clinton discuss the weather.