ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 6, 1996 TAG: 9601070005
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
note: above
U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, played a key role in a GOP plan passed Friday by the House of Representatives to reopen the federal government.
A measure approved by the House as the second part of its two-part plan contains essential elements of a proposal Goodlatte made Thursday to restore operating funds for the government once President Clinton offers his version of a balanced budget.
Goodlatte took part in the floor debate Friday afternoon on that part of the GOP plan. He was given credit for his role in its development by Rep. Gerald Solomon, R-N.Y., who managed the Republican side of the debate and introduced Goodlatte.
Goodlatte is "someone who is probably more responsible for forcing the president to bring a balanced budget to this body than anyone I know," Solomon said.
The first part of the GOP plan, credited to House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., temporarily returns federal workers to their jobs with back pay for time they've missed. It does not, however, provide money to operate federal programs or make grants, with the exception of funding for some high-profile government functions such as operation of national parks and meals for the elderly.
The second part of the plan, based on Goodlatte's proposal, would reopen the entire government through Jan. 26 if the president comes forward with his own balanced budget, with figures confirmed by the Congressional Budget Office.
As passed, the measure would keep the government open 15 days longer for Congress and Clinton to compromise on their budget differences than Goodlatte had originally proposed. But he called the two-part plan a "fine improvement" on what he had developed.
Congress and the president will better be able to compromise on their budget differences, Goodlatte said, once Clinton puts his balanced-budget proposal on the table. The entire government could be reopened as early as Monday if Clinton moves quickly, he said.
GOP speakers said during the debate that any balanced budget offered by Clinton - including ones already put forward by Democrats in the House and Senate - would do as a starting point.
Goodlatte said that when House Republicans met Thursday night to discuss a way to open the government while keeping the pressure on Clinton, only three proposals were discussed: his, Gingrich's and another that would have restored funding at a reduced level.
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: headshot of Bob Goodlatteby CNBCredited for his plan color