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

DATE: Sunday, August 14, 1994                TAG: 9408150006
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A16  EDITION: FINAL 
                                             LENGTH: Long  :  119 lines

CONGRESSIONAL ROLL CALL

Here's how area members of Congress were recorded on major roll call votes in the week ending Aug. 12.

HOUSE

CRIME BILL: By a vote of 210 for and 225 against, the House refused to bring the 1994 crime bill conference report (HR 3355) to the floor for expected passage. Although the vote was on a procedural issue, all sides saw it as rejecting the substance of the $30 billion measure. The bill would allow the following: hiring more local police, building more prisons, toughening sentencing, expanding the federal death penalty, outlawing certain semiautomatic weapons and launching several social programs aimed at prevention.

Criticized during debate were gun control, the omission of ``racial justice'' language to soften expanded capital punishment, taxpayer funding of playground basketball, the inclusion by Judiciary Committee Chairman Jack Brooks, D-Texas, of $10 million for a university in his district, and the bill's failure to require notification of neighbors when sex offenders are paroled to their community. Also faulted, by Republicans, was the Democratic leadership's refusal to provide them with the final wording of the 972-page bill until hours before the vote.

A yes vote was to advance the 1994 crime bill.

Herbert H. Bateman, R-Va. No

Owen B. Pickett, D-Va. No

Robert A. Scott, D-Va. No

Norman Sisisky, D-Va. No

Eva Clayton, D-N.C. Yes

H. Martin Lancaster, D-N.C. No

COVERING CONGRESS: By a vote of 427 for and 4 against, the House passed a bill (HR 4822) to cover Congress with 10 major laws from which lawmakers have exempted themselves, and their institution, in the name of separation of powers. If the Senate goes along, the bill will end Congress' full or partial exemption from statutes such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination and Employment Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Bateman Yes

Pickett Yes

Scott Yes

Sisisky Yes

Clayton Yes

Lancaster Yes

COMPLIANCE OFFICE: By a vote of 216 for and 220 against, the House refused to bar any lobbyist, former Congressional staff member or ex-member of Congress from heading an office set up by HR 4822 (above) to help lawmakers and staff abide by 10 major federal laws. Among the duties of the Office of Compliance will be to deal with employee grievances against lawmakers.

A yes vote was to bar lobbyists, and former lawmakers and staff from heading the Office of Compliance.

Bateman No

Pickett No

Scott No

Sisisky Yes

Clayton No

Lancaster Yes

LAWMAKERS' HEALTH PLAN: By a vote of 374 for and 57 against, the House adopted an amendment requiring members of Congress to accept the same medical benefits package they legislate for the rest of the country. Members presently are covered by a generously subsidized, HMO-based plan designed for those on the federal payroll and their families. The vote occurred during debate on HR 4822 (above).

A yes vote supported the amendment.

Bateman No

Pickett Yes

Scott Yes

Sisisky Yes

Clayton No

Lancaster Yes

TRADE WITH CHINA: By a vote of 280 for and 152 against, the House passed a bill (HR 4590) to extend Most Favored Nation trade benefits to China for another year, entitling China to the lowest U.S. tariffs. The vote upheld a decision by President Clinton to continue open trade with China and stop linking America's trade policy to China's human rights abuses.

A yes vote supported open trade with China.

Bateman Yes

Pickett Yes

Scott No

Sisisky Yes

Clayton No

Lancaster No

SENATE

ARMS TO BOSNIA: By a vote of 58 for and 42 against, the Senate adopted an amendment by Minority Leader Bob Dole, R-Kan., requiring President Clinton to begin arming Bosnian Muslim forces by Nov. 15, despite the United Nations embargo against such action. The language was added to the Fiscal Year 1995 Pentagon appropriations bill (HR 4650). The Senate also approved an amendment by Majority Leader George Mitchell, D-Maine, urging the softer course of first trying to convince the U.N. to lift the embargo. A conference committee will decide which version to accept.

A yes vote was to begin arming Bosnian Muslims.

John W. Warner, R-Va. No

Charles S. Robb, D-Va. Yes

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