CRIME BILL . . . THE FINAL STRETCH

The $33-billion crime bill, which was to be voted on today, has been postponed to later this week. The latest unofficial head count: supporters appear to be about 10 votes shy of victory. The legislation would fund the hiring of 100,000 cops, build prisons and ban certain types of assault weapons. "It's a close vote ... you don't need a big shift [for it to pass or fail]," says TIME's Washington Correspondent Laurence I. Barrett. "I think it's going to pass, ... but I can't back that up with 218 names [a winning tally] -- yet."