CLINTON'S PLAN WINS HOUSE OK

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 19, 1993                   TAG: 9303190137
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium
CLINTON'S PLAN WINS HOUSE OK
The House moved to close the book on Reaganomics on Thursday by embracing President Clinton's mix of new spending to create jobs plus long-term budget cuts and tax increases to whittle the deficit.
On a virtual party-line 243-183 vote, the Democratic-dominated chamber approved a deficit-reduction blueprint that would trim budget shortfalls by $510 billion over the next five years.
The savings - to be enacted in future bills - would be split evenly between spending cuts and tax increases, mainly on the rich and corporations. It resembled a plan the Senate also was debating.
"The one thing we need to do tonight is to say the Congress of the United States stands behind this young man," said Majority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo. "We want to give him a chance. We want our people to succeed. We want a new day for this country."
The House then moved toward passage of a companion bill pumping $16.3 billion in new spending into community development grants, small business loans and other job-creating projects. The administration says the measure would create 219,000 jobs this year and more later.
Clinton couldn't resist contrasting his own economic priorities with the call for smaller government that President Reagan brought to office 12 years ago.
"It is clear that the time has come to make a fundamental change in policy and direction," Clinton told Treasury employees as he headed a last-minute campaign to solidify support and make his victory an imposing one.
And as the president's triumph approached, he added a personal touch. His spokeswoman, Dee Dee Myers, announced that lawmakers of either party supporting his plan would be invited to a White House breakfast this morning.
Democratic leaders showed they could, as they had predicted, hold together their rank-and-file.
On a tally of 295-135, the House killed a GOP budget that would have cut spending by $429 billion over five years - and dropped all of Clinton's tax increases. Just three Democrats supported the Republicans.
Lawmakers then turned aside, 409-20, a second Republican plan that would have eliminated $682 billion in red ink by combining spending cuts with Clinton's tax increases on the rich.
Also rejected was a package by the liberal Black Congressional Caucus adding defense cuts and tax increases to Clinton's plan and using the extra money to finance social programs. The vote was 335-87.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB