"A renewal of the primary law governing colleges, universities and federal financial aid will not come to the floor in either chamber until after the March recess," Congressional Quarterly reports. "The primary sticking point, according to Kennedy, is House bill language that would penalize states for lowering their commitment to higher education. While Miller toned down the language - dubbed 'maintenance of effort' - when it was on the House floor by exempting funds that are spent on research or capital improvement, the National Governors Association and the National Conference of State Legislatures continue to lobby hard against it."