THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, July 31, 1996              TAG: 9607310414
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A11  EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                        LENGTH:   22 lines

TOP CONGRESSMEN TO DEBATE ELECTION ISSUES IN WILLIAMSBURG

The four top leaders of Congress intend to participate in an unusual televised campaign debate on Sept. 29 that will focus on the battle for control of the House and Senate this fall.

The Public Broadcasting Service said Speaker Newt Gingrich and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott as well as the two top Democrats in Congress, Rep. Richard Gephardt and Sen. Tom Daschle, will spend an hour debating campaign issues in a forum to be broadcast on more than 75 public television stations.

Many stations will host debates between local congressional candidates on the same night, PBS said.

The congressional leaders will meet in the House of Burgesses in Williamsburg for an hour-long session to be moderated by Jim Lehrer of ``The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.'' Final ground rules remain to be worked out. by CNB