THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, March 25, 1996 TAG: 9603250060
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 175 lines
Porter Goss, R-Fla., said the bill ``is about the failure of the federal government to control our borders and the impact that failure has had on our society.''
Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., said ``for American workers, it is a devastating bill (that) does nothing to try to enhance worker protections or the ability to enforce our current labor laws.. . . ''
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Bateman Yes Pickett Yes
Scott No Sisisky Yes
Clayton No Jones Yes
English proficiency: By a vote of 210 for and 207 against, the House amended HR 2202 (above) to require English proficiency on the part of those applying for residency in the United States on the basis of their country of origin or employment skills. The requirement was removed from the bill in later action.
Sponsor Charles Canady, R-Fla., said ``to succeed in the United States, one must have a command of the English language. Our immigration policy should support this goal.''
Robert Underwood, D-Guam, said: ``We all know what the underlying motive is because chances are they are going to look like you, too.''
A yes vote was to require immigrants other than those sponsored by their families to show English proficiency.
Bateman Yes Pickett Yes
Scott No Sisisky Yes
Clayton No Jones Yes
Public schools: The House adopted, 257 for and 163 against, an amendment to HR 2202 (above) allowing states to exclude the children of illegal immigrants from primary and secondary public schools and taxpayer-supported institutions of higher education.
Marge Roukema, R-N.J., said: ``The bottom line is that we are talking about illegal aliens, and they are not entitled to hard-working American taxpayer money when there is not even enough money to go around for the taxpayer.''
William Clay, D-Mo., said the amendment ``is unconstitutional, runs counter to our nation's commitment to the value of education and is morally repugnant. transgressions of their parents.''
A yes vote was to enable states to bar the children of illegal immigrants from public education.
Bateman Yes Pickett Yes
Scott No Sisisky Yes
Clayton No Jones Yes
Worker displacement: The House rejected, 188 for and 231 against, a Democratic bid to keep U.S. workers from being displaced by foreigners admitted to the country under the government's H-1B visa program, which is designed to ease short-term employment needs. Up to 65,000 immigrants with H-1B visas enter the country annually for stays of up to six years. The Democratic motion sought to limit the time to three years and require employers to recruit and train U.S. workers to fill the open positions.
John Bryant, D-Texas, called the program ``an outrage'' that should be ended.
Lamar Smith, R-Texas, said the bill as written ``puts the interests of American families, workers and taxpayers first.''
A yes vote was to scale back the government's H-1B program for foreign workers.
Bateman No Pickett Yes
Scott Yes Sisisky Yes
Clayton Yes Jones No
Assault weapons ban: The House voted, 239 for and 173 against, to repeal a 2-year-old ban on the sale, manufacture and possession of certain semi-automatic ``assault'' weapons and ammunition clips. Among lobbying groups, this was a victory for the National Rifle Association and a defeat for Handgun Control Inc. President Clinton said he would veto the measure (HR 125) if it clears the Senate and reaches his desk.
Harold Volkmer, D-Mo., said the banned guns ``are no different from the semi-automatic I use every year to go hunting for deer. They work the very same way, they just look different. . . . The ban . . . has not stopped any crime.''
Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., said: ``If we're able to save anyone's life because we ban these weapons . . . we should do so. You want to add more magazines to the assault weapons so they can spray and kill even more people. Shame on you. Play with the devil, die with the devil.''
A yes vote was to repeal the federal ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.
Bateman No Pickett Yes
Scott No Sisisky Yes
Clayton No Jones Yes
Travel office legal fees: By a vote of 350 for and 43 against, the House sent the Senate a bill (HR 2937) to reimburse about $500,000 in legal fees incurred by former aides in the White House travel office who were fired by President Clinton's staff soon after he took office in 1993. About $425,000 of the amount would go to Billy Dale, the former head of the office, who was tried and acquitted of charges stemming from the episode.
Steve Horn, R-Calif., said: ``Travelgate is a sordid chapter in the history of White House staffs. . . . At least we have tried to make whole their legal fees . . . persons whose lives have been very sadly and badly disrupted by these improper and unjustified activities.''
Henry Waxman, D-Calif., objected to ``singling out seven federal employees for special and unprecedented treatment. . . . That might be the right thing to do, but it might have been the right thing to do when federal employees were targeted and smeared by Sen. McCarthy and other investigators.. . . ''
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Bateman Yes Pickett Yes
Scott Yes Sisisky Yes
Clayton Yes Jones Yes
President Clinton said he would veto the bill.
Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said that while capping punitive damages the bill allows plaintiffs ``to sue and recover all of their . . . lost wages, all medical bills, any costs for home assistance and even so-called pain and suffering damages.''
Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said: ``Our civil justice system is founded on the principle that the victim deserves the greatest protection. This bill turns that basic value on its head. It says we should protect the wrongdoer.''
A yes vote was to enact product liability legislation.
Robb No Warner Yes
Helms Yes Faircloth Yes
Environmental protection: The Senate voted, 81 for and 19 against, to add $727 million for environmental protection to a $166 billion appropriations bill (HR 3019) funding certain government operations for the remainder of fiscal 1996. The bill was later sent to conference with the House. In part, the new funds will be used for clean water, environmental technology, climate change research and Superfund toxic waste site cleanups. It would be spread among the Environmental Protection Agency and the Interior, Agriculture and Energy departments.
A yes vote was to increase environmental spending this fiscal year.
Robb Yes Warner Yes
Helms No Faircloth No
Grazing fees: By a vote of 52 for and 47 against, the Senate tabled (killed) an amendment to sharply increase federal fees for those businesses and farmers who graze their herds on public land in the West. U.S. fees now set at $1.35 AUM (animal unit month) were to rise eightfold to the average state grazing fee, which is about $11.20 AUM, according to Senate debate. The Senate later passed a Republican bill (S 1459) that, in part, eases federal grazing regulations. In part, the bill raises the federal fee by by about one-third, to $1.87 AUM.
Pete Domenici, R-N.M., who voted to table the amendment, said, ``I am not here to protect'' big corporate users. ``They will protect themselves. I am here to protect the small guy.''
Amendment sponsor Dale Bumpers, D-Ark., said of the current fee structure: ``It is politics. It is corporate welfare. it is grossly unfair.''
A yes vote opposed the move to raise federal grazing fees in the West to the level charged by states.
Robb No Warner No
Helms Yes Faircloth Yes
Support of Taiwan: By a vote of 97 for and none against, the Senate expressed the sense of Congress (HJ Res 148) that the People's Republic of China stop its warlike actions against Taiwan and peaceably settle its differences with the island republic. This was softer than a House-passed version of the measure, which promised U.S. military support of Taiwan if it is attacked by mainland China.
Sam Nunn, D-Ga., said ``the current tension in the Taiwan Strait creates a very dangerous situation. While I do not believe that China intends to invade Taiwan, there is always the risk that accident or miscalculation could lead to conflict.''
No senator spoke against the measure.
A yes vote was to approve the resolution.
Robb Yes Warner Yes
Helms Yes Faircloth Yes by CNB