THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, May 13, 1996 TAG: 9605130052
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 133 lines
Bosnian arms probe: The House approved, 224-187, a resolution (H Res 416) to begin a special subcommittee probe of the administration's role in allowing Iran to arm Bosnian Muslims and Croatians in 1994, despite a U.N. embargo against the outside world sending weapons into the Balkan war. The panel of five Republicans and three Democrats was given a budget of $995,000 and a November deadline for completing its work.
David Dreier, R-Calif., said one of several key questions is ``why did the Clinton administration allow Iran to extend its influence into Europe after the administration had announced a policy of isolating Iran?''
Martin Frost, D-Tex., said ``my Republican colleagues want to spend $1 million to investigate nothing at all. . . .to perform opposition research for the Dole campaign.''
A yes vote was to probe the administration's role in Iranian arms shipments to the Balkans civil war.
Bateman Yes Pickett No
Scott No Sisisky No
Clayton No Jones Yes
Public housing: Voting 315-107, the House passed a bill (HR 2406) to replace the nation's 3,400 housing authorities with local boards and essentially repeal six decades' worth of public housing regulations. Funded by U.S. block grants, the boards would have autonomy to make their own decisions within Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines. They also would administer federal rent assistance with an emphasis on issuing vouchers to help residents of projects find private sector housing.
Bateman Yes Pickett Yes
Scott Yes Sisisky Yes
Clayton Yes Jones Yes
Rent ceilings: By a vote of 196-222, the House rejected an amendment to continue rent ceilings for public housing tenants as part of HR 2406 (above). In effect, the vote repealed a 15-year-old requirement that rents cannot exceed 30 percent of income. Critics said the ceiling discourages tenants from increasing their incomes and thus concentrates the poorest of the poor in public housing, while supporters said it is necessary to keep rents affordable for the working poor.
Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., said the House should ``not force this economic hardship on Americans who rely on public housing. Paying 30 percent of your income on rent is hardly a giveaway, hardly a free ride.''
Rick Lazio, R-N.Y., said rent ceilings discourage work and would thwart the purpose of the bill ``to create an environment where people can `transition' to work, where work ethic is rewarded, where there is mixed income...hope...opportunity.''
A yes vote was to continue rent ceilings for public housing tenants.
Bateman No Pickett Yes
Scott Yes Sisisky No
Clayton Yes Jones No
Product liability: The House failed to override President Clinton's veto of product liability legislation (HR 956). The tally of 258-163 fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to enact the measure, which sought to limit the liability faced by companies in lawsuits involving defective products. The vote was a victory for the American Trial Lawyers Association and a setback for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Noting that the president also vetoed a securities litigation bill, Thomas Bliley, R-Va., said: ``This is the second time in six months that Bill Clinton had a choice between American workers and his trial lawyer buddies. Both times, the workers lost.''
John Conyers, D-Mich., said the bill continues the Republican majority's ``war for the special interests who have spent over $26 million in campaign contributions in an effort to tilt the legal system further in their favor.''
A yes vote was to enact product liability legislation that is part of the GOP Contract With America.
Bateman Yes Pickett No
Scott No Sisisky Yes
Clayton No Jones Yes
Adoption: Voting 393-15, the House approved tax code changes making it more affordable for families to adopt children. The bill (HR 3286) provides a $5,000 tax credit per child for adoption expenses to families with incomes of $75,000 or less, and smaller credits up to incomes of $115,000. One section, opposed by Native American organizations, prohibits state adoption agencies from ``race matching'' children with adoptive parents and reduces the power of tribal courts in custody proceedings.
Bill Archer, R-Tex., said: ``There are almost 500,000 children languishing in foster care. . . it's simply not right to deny a child the opportunity to grow up in a loving home because the parents are not wealthy or of a different race. This legislation will help not only economically but end the practice of delaying adoption until states can find racially matched parents for children waiting to be adopted.''
Don Young, R-Alaska, said current law ``has worked well, has kept together children with their relatives. . . their mothers. . . their aunts and uncles and not farmed out to places far away from those tribes. . . Only the Congress has the right to decide who is an American Indian or what is a tribe. . . (With this bill) again we are breaking a commitment and a promise to the American Indian.''
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Bateman Yes Pickett Yes
Scott Yes Sisisky Yes
Clayton Yes Jones Yes SENATE
Gas tax: Voting 52-44, the Senate failed to achieve the three-fifths majority necessary to move to a direct vote on a GOP package to lower gasoline taxes, raise the minimum wage and allow labor-management discussions outside the collective bargaining process. The vote during consideration of HR 2937 continued a filibuster by Democrats who were seeking, at least, a separate vote on increasing the minimum wage by 90 cents to $5.15 an hour. It left the Senate in a battle that concerned those three issues and the expected presidential contest between Majority Leader Bob Dole, R-Kan., and President Clinton.
Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., said: ``The minimum wage did not come up for two-and-one-half years when the Democrats controlled the House and the Senate, as well as the White House. But suddenly - I am sure it was just happenstance, when the AFL-CIO was here, they promised to give $35 million for the election - this issue came forward.''
Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said: ``The Republican leadership is denying working families on the bottom rungs the opportunity to have a living wage for themselves, and no parliamentary procedure is going to change that fact. . . They have to ask why the Republican leadership is forbidding an up or down vote on this measure.''
Robb No Warner Yes
Faircloth Yes Helms Yes ILLUSTRATION: ROLL CALL: How area members of Congress voted for the week
ending May 10.
[Photos, telephone numbers and addresses of senators and
representatives from Virginia and North Carolina.]
To reach any representative or senator on any issues that concern
you, call (202) 224-3121.
by CNB