Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 26, 1995 TAG: 9507260063
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The bill was sent to the Senate on a 361-61 vote.
Final approval came after the House rejected a move to end collective bargaining requirements for local transit systems.
Democrats successfully challenged a provision in the bill that they said would have stripped workers of the right to bargain for wages and protection - deleting that section 234-187.
The vote keeps in effect a 1964 law requiring that transit systems have a collective bargaining agreement in effect in order to obtain federal funds. The rule, affecting about 200,000 workers across the country, was instituted to protect the rights of workers at failing private transit companies when Congress provided money to local governments to take them over.
Republicans had sought to end the requirement, saying it raised transit costs and prevented local agencies from contracting out, changing schedules and making other changes to save money.
``In essence what you're doing is eliminating the worker's right to collective bargaining ... the ability to stand up for themselves and earn a living wage, and it's not right,'' countered Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, D-R.I.
Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee recommended a $244 billion defense spending bill for next year that adds nearly $8 billion to President Clinton's request but still represents an inflation-adjusted decrease in military spending.
The defense-spending bill is a $2.5 billion increase over this year's military appropriation but does not fully make up for the effects of inflation.
And the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on energy and water agreed to provide more money than proposed by the House for environmental cleanup at nuclear weapons production sites, restoring $724 million in cleanup money that had been cut.
The spending bill for the Energy Department and various water reclamation programs would provide $20.2 billion for the 1996 fiscal year, or $1.5 billion more than approved by the House earlier this month, and close to what is being spent this year.
Separately, the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on treasury, postal service and general government zeroed out funds for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, contending it has been ``invisible in the war on drugs.''
The transportation bill slashes grants to subsidize buses, subways and commuter trains by $500 million, to $2 billion, in a move critics say will cause fares to double in some communities.
The Amtrak subsidy of $628 million is down $205 million from 1995 and remains subject to approval of a separate bill reauthorizing operations of the railroad. That bill has been stalled in committee.
But highways do well, with $20.4 billion for the Federal Highway Administration, up $553 million from 1995.
Also included in the bill is a ban on tightening fuel economy standards for cars beyond currently announced levels.
And, reacting to so-called new-age training programs, the bill prohibits training that would induce psychological stress or try to change participants' lifestyles.
The transportation bill also would provide $15 million to subsidize air transportation to smaller communities. This is down from $33 million in 1995 and calls on communities receiving assistance to provide matching funds.
by CNB