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Thursday, Jan. 18, 2007

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WASHINGTON -- House Democrats sprinting to finish six bills on terrorism, the minimum wage, drug prices and other issues are well ahead of the 100-hour deadline they gave themselves to do it.

By new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's clock, they began Thursday morning with more than 60 hours remaining and only one measure left: an energy bill with $15 billion in new fees, royalties and taxes for the oil industry. A celebration was planned later Thursday once it's passed.

On Wednesday, seven hours ticked off the Democrats' 100-hour clock for passing an agenda the party had told voters they would enact after sweeping to victory in November.

According to Pelosi's count, it has taken just over 34 hours to pass the first five bills, including a measure Wednesday to lower interest rates on some student loans.

The House actually had been in session for about 79 hours from the time the 110th Congress was sworn in on Jan. 4 through close of House business Wednesday. But the clock on Pelosi's Web site, which racks only hours spent on legislation, showed that 34 hours, 5 minutes had elapsed.

The clock started again Thursday with the opening of debate on the oil revenues bill.

The others passed so far would:

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