                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, July 24, 1994                  TAG: 9407240029
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A7   EDITION: FINAL 
                                             LENGTH: Long  :  121 lines

CONGRESSIONAL ROLL CALL

Here's how area members of Congress were recorded on major roll call votes in the week ending July 22.

HOUSE

ENTITLEMENTS: By a vote of 316 for and 107 against, the House sent the Senate a Democratic plan (HR 4604) to restrain entitlement spending. Earlier, the House rejected two stronger curbs on the mandatory spending that accounts for about half of the federal budget. The three plans did not inflict cuts, deferring that act of political resolve to another day. Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, veterans' benefits, national debt interest, farm supports, military and civil service pensions and social welfare account for most of the $750 billion in annual entitlement spending.

The Democratic plan requires the White House to give notice when entitlement spending exceeds target levels set by the Office of Management and Budget. Congress then must legislate program cuts or tax increases to offset the cost overruns, or vote to allow higher entitlement spending. Social Security is protected against cuts.

A yes vote supported the Democratic plan to restrain entitlement growth.

Herbert H. Bateman, R-Va. Yes

Owen B. Pickett, D-Va. Yes

Robert A. Scott, D-Va. Yes

Norman Sisisky, D-Va. Yes

Eva Clayton, D-N.C. Yes

H. Martin Lancaster, D-N.C. Yes

GOP PLAN: By a vote of 194 for and 233 against, the House rejected a Republican proposal to restrain entitlement spending. This plan required Congress to enact spending caps for each entitlement program and, if those limits are breached, to inflict across-the-board cuts to bring spending back within the law. It differed from the Democratic plan (above) by prohibiting the use of higher taxes or discretionary spending cuts to correct the entitlement overruns. It also differed by requiring Congress rather than the Office of Management and Budget to define entitlement limits.

A yes vote was to pass the GOP plan to restrain entitlements.

Bateman Yes

Pickett Yes

Scott No

Sisisky No

Clayton No

Lancaster No

INTELLIGENCE BUDGET: By a vote of 194 for and 221 against, the House refused to require public disclosure of total annual spending for intelligence including operation of the CIA. The vote occurred as the House passed the intelligence agencies' FY '95 appropriations bill (HR 4299). It kept a cloak of secrecy on the overall intelligence figure, which has been widely reported at $28 billion to $30 billion annually.

A yes vote was for public disclosure of the aggregate U.S. intelligence appropriation.

Bateman No

Pickett No

Scott Yes

Sisisky No

Clayton Yes

Lancaster Yes

REDLINING'': By a vote of 97 for and 333 against, the House rejected the stronger of two legislative tools against ``redlining'' in the sale of insurance to the poor. The rejected measure covered three times as many metropolitan areas and placed more reporting requirements on large insurance companies. The House then adopted a less regulatory bill (HR 1188) to combat insurance discrimination. As sent to the Senate on a nonrecord vote, it requires insurance companies to provide the Commerce Department with detailed information by zip code on the home, property and auto policies they sell and deny in the 25 largest metropolitan areas.

A yes vote supported the stronger of two pending bills against redlining.

Bateman No

Pickett No

Scott No

Sisisky No

Clayton Yes

Lancaster No

SENATE

FOOD STAMPS: The Senate adopted, 63 for and 34 against, an amendment to continue food stamp ``cash out'' demonstration programs. Viewed by supporters as a first step toward welfare reform, these programs convert stamps to direct cash payments of comparable value. The money can be spent on living expenses in addition to food. If combined with welfare payments and linked to work, it becomes a wage supplement that can enable welfare recipients to secure a private sector job.

This vote occurred as the Senate passed the FY '95 Department of Agriculture appropriations bill (HR 4554). It puts the Senate at odds with a House plan to end ``cash out'' demonstration programs underway in 20 states.

A yes vote was to continue food stamp ``cash out'' demonstration programs.

John W. Warner, R-Va. Yes

Charles S. Robb, D-Va. Yes

Jesse A. Helms, R-N.C. Yes

Lauch Faircloth, R-N.C. Yes

SPENDING FREEZE: By a vote of 72 for and 28 against, the Senate tabled (killed) an attempt to freeze the Department of Transportation appropriations bill for FY '95 at its 1994 level of $13.59 billion. This vote permitted an increase of $741 million or nearly six percent over the 1994 level. The bill funds a variety of transportation programs including highway construction, mass transit, Amtrak and the Federal Aviation Administration.

A yes vote opposed a freeze in federal transportation spending.

Warner No

Robb Yes

Helms No

Faircloth No