THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 23, 1996 TAG: 9609230042
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 75 lines
Here's how area members of Congress were recorded on major roll call votes in the week ending Sept. 13. HOUSE
Abortion: By a vote of 285 for and 137 against, the House overrode President Clinton's veto of a bill (HR 1833) outlawing a certain late-term abortion procedure. If the Senate also achieves the two-thirds majority needed to overcome the president, the measure will become law. A Senate vote was expected soon. The bill makes it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion that involves partially extracting the fetus, terminating it, collapsing its skull and removing it. Defenders say the procedure is used humanely to protect the health or life of the mother, while opponents call it infanticide. Doctors performing it would be subject to up to two years in prison.
A yes vote was to override the veto and thus ban the abortion procedure.
Bateman Yes Pickett No
Scott No Sisisky Yes
Clayton No Jones Yes
Speaker Gingrich: Voting 225 for and 179 against, the House blocked a Democratic bid (H Res 526) to force public disclosure of certain legal findings in the Ethics Committee's investigation of Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga. At issue was whether to release at this time the work of an outside counsel who is assisting the inquiry.
There was no debate before the vote. Democrats, however, say the report is a completed document that the GOP is suppressing until after the November elections. But Republicans say it is a draft of what eventually will be an official committee report on the Democratic action against Gingrich. Democrats allege, in part, that he improperly used tax-deductible charitable contributions to fund a politically partisan college course he was teaching.
A yes vote opposed disclosing at this time the outside counsel's findings on Gingrich.
Bateman Yes Pickett No
Scott No Sisisky Yes
Clayton No Jones Yes
Transportation budget: The House approved, 395 for and 19 against, the conference report on a bill (HR 3675) providing about $35 billion for transportation programs in fiscal 1997, including $23.3 billion from trust funds for highway and airport improvements. It cut Amtrak by 11 percent while sharply increasing spending for airport security and airplane safety.
The bill injected Congress into a highly publicized child custody dispute in Washington between Dr. Elizabeth Morgan and Dr. Eric Foretich. Language introduced by Frank Wolf, R-Va., allows Morgan and her daughter to return to the U.S. from New Zealand, overriding a local court order. The bill also was criticized for temporarily easing automobile fuel-efficiency standards and slashing Amtrak.
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Bateman Yes Pickett Yes
Scott Yes Sisisky Yes
Clayton Yes Jones Yes SENATE
Grazing fees: The Senate agreed, 50-50, to sharply raise fees for the largest grazing operations on federal land in the West, while making no change in fees for other holders of U.S. grazing permits. This occurred during debate on a fiscal 1997 appropriations bill (HR 3662) for the Department of Interior that remained in debate. For permits allowing grazing of more than 5,000 AUMs (animal unit months), the fee would rise from the present $1.35 per AUM to a level based on what states charge for grazing on state land. On average, this could triple the rates they pay the Treasury. This would affect about 3 percent of holders of federal grazing permits, according to floor debate.
A yes vote was to block the increase in grazing fees.
Robb No Warner No
Faircloth Yes Helms Yes ILLUSTRATION: Photos of area representatives and senators by CNB