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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 25, 1994                   TAG: 9405250169
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder/Tribune
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

HOUSE LEADER LEAVING?

Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, the veteran chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, was reportedly on the verge of resigning from Congress as his lawyers and federal prosecutors dickered Tuesday over terms of a plea on charges stemming from the House post office scandal.

The Illinois Democrat's attorneys reportedly were considering an offer from U.S. Attorney Eric Holder to plead guilty to a felony and serve a short prison term - thus avoiding a long and expensive trial and a possibly longer stretch in jail.

A Rostenkowski resignation could deal a sharp setback to President Clinton's hopes for quick legislative action on his controversial health-care reform plan.

Rostenkowski, who has served in the House for almost 36 years, is regarded even by his detractors as an accomplished negotiator whose skills are urgently needed to resolve sharp differences on health care.

"He is a leader," said House deputy majority whip Barbara B. Kennelly, D-Conn. "He can put things together better than anyone I know. He might make people mad when they have to swallow the deal, but he doesn't force them to accept anything they can't live with."

Although House rules call for the next senior Democrat on the committee to take charge if Rostenkowski resigns, there were reports Tuesday that Majority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., might be tapped to become acting chairman long enough to steer the health-care package through the divided panel.

But such a move could touch off a major fight on the committee, where three high-ranking Democrats have already expressed interest in the chairmanship.

By current House rules, Sam Gibbons, D-Fla., would be in line to replace Rostenkowski as acting chairman of Ways and Means.

by CNB