Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 29, 1990                   TAG: 9003290425
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The New York Times
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

HOUSE OKS EPA CABINET MEASURE

President Bush supports raising the status of the Environmental Protection Agency, a move that would give its head the rank of secretary.

But he opposes a provision of the legislation adopted Wednesday that would require a major reorganization and expansion of the agency.

The White House said Bush would veto the measure because it would create an independent statistics-gathering agency within the EPA that would be exempt from presidential authority.

The White House contends this independence would challenge the president's constitutional right to manage the executive branch.

The vote on the bill was 371-55, with many Republicans defying the president and joining the Democrats in supporting it.

Politicians generally acknowledge that the American public has grown so concerned about environmental problems that it is risky to vote against environmental legislation.

The Senate is expected to vote on a similar bill within the next few weeks and passage is considered highly likely.