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

DATE: SATURDAY, August 7, 1993                   TAG: 9308070108
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

HOUSE OK'S LESS DAUNTING SERVICE BILL

The House gave its final approval Friday to a slimmed-down version of President Clinton's plan to offer students help with college tuition in return for national service.

The legislation awaited final Senate action before going to Clinton for his signature.

The 275-152 vote on the three-year, $1.5 billion National Service Trust plan was "a major victory" for Clinton, said Rep. William Ford, D-Mich., who guided the bill on the House floor. Democrats had rushed to hand Clinton a new program before taking a month-long vacation.

Opponents denounced the action as ironic, coming the day after the House narrowly passed Clinton's tax bill. That legislation would raise taxes on the wealthy, business, motorists and some Social Security beneficiaries.

"Here we are less than 24 hours after the largest tax bill in history has passed with the Democrats' hands deep in the pockets of American taxpayers, spending already the new taxes," said Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla.

Rep. Bill Goodling, R-Penn., the ranking GOP member of the House Education and Labor Committee, said the bill was "not the gargantuan program the president suggested during the campaign," but it was still "tremendously expensive."

But supporters argued that the program would benefit communities across the nation while helping some middle class students afford college educations.

"I think the bill justifies itself," said Rep. Matthew Martinez, D-Calif., the bill's principal sponsor.

Rep. Steve Gunderson, a Wisconsin Republican, called it "the best of the Democratic ideal with the best Republican non-bureaucratic delivery system."

Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.

by CNB