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

DATE: TUESDAY, March 30, 1993                   TAG: 9303300259
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

CLINTON, CONSERVATIVES END STANDOFF ON JOBS BILL BUT REPUBLICAN BILL MAKING

Ending a standoff that began Thursday, conservatives agreed to back the legislation after Clinton sent them a letter noting that much of the spending would not occur until later this year and pledging to pressure Congress to meet its deficit-reduction goals.

No sooner had the Democratic peace pact been reached than the Senate gave preliminary 48-44 approval to a Republican provision slicing $104 million from the bill. But with seven Democratic senators having missed the evening vote, Democrats eager to erase the surprising defeat scheduled a second vote on the amendment today.

The GOP provision, aimed at embarrassing Clinton, would forbid the bill from being used for tennis courts and other projects for which the nation's mayors have sought federal funds.

Five Democrats voted with the GOP: Sens. James Exon and Robert Kerrey, both D-Neb.; Bob Graham, D-Fla.; Sam Nunn, D-Ga.; and Richard Shelby, D-Ala.

Virginia's senators voted along party lines, Democrat Charles Robb against the amendment and Republican John Warner for it.

When the outcome became clear, Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., the jobs measure's sponsor, voted for the GOP amendment, giving him the right to seek a second vote, which he did.

Republicans, angry that Democrats had erected a procedural roadblock to GOP amendments, were threatening to delay work on the measure. But bipartisan talks aimed at ending that battle were continuing.