After the House and Senate failed to agree on a few keyprovisions of the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007, Congressextended the existing 1996 law for one year until a compromise canbe reached. Proponents of the new, stronger legislation hadexpected a resolution of differences before the end of 2007. Themain hang-up centered on state's rights. The stricter Senateversion would force state's to adhere to the federal law, while theHouse bill would allow states to add additional mandates beyondthose in the federal legislation. Legislators in both bodies areconfident that the new law will be passed this year, and PresidentBush is expected to sign it into law. The act would require thatgroup health deductibles, co-payments and covered hospital days andvisits for mental-health benefits be on par with those for otherphysical impairments.