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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 17, 1993                   TAG: 9311170307
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

NAFTA ALLIES GAIN VITAL VOTES

Confident White House officials all but claimed a House victory on the North American Free Trade Agreement on Tuesday, as President Clinton captured up to 24 new votes in one of the most intense battles of his presidency.

"We're getting there," a happy Clinton told reporters at midday, even before several additional members of Congress made their pro-NAFTA announcements. The White House picked up the votes of some members who already had listed themselves as being against the agreement, on which the House is expected to vote tonight.

An Associated Press survey showed 217 House members supporting the pact or likely to do so - a one-day gain of 24. In contrast, opponents' numbers dwindled by five, and stood at 197.

By party, 123 Republicans and 94 Democrats were firm or likely supporters, while 152 Democrats, 44 Republicans and one independent were firm or likely opponents.

Capitol Hill swarmed with the forces for and against the pact that would link the United States, Canada and Mexico in the world's largest free-trade bloc.

Anti-NAFTA truck drivers drove their rigs up Independence Avenue, horns blaring; supporters of Ross Perot shouted into a Florida caucus meeting that anti-NAFTA members should have "courage"; and pro-NAFTA groups passed out leaflets at the Capitol.

The House vote is considered the pivotal one. Both Democratic and Republican leaders have said there are more than enough votes for passage in the Senate, which is expected to act Saturday or Monday if the House approves it.

House Majority Whip David Bonior, D-Mich., the leader of the opposition forces, sounded less certain about defeating the agreement than he has up to now. "We have lost a couple of people," he said. "It's very close at this point."

\ HOW VIRGINIANS STAND ON NAFTA\ HOUSE VOTE TONIGHT

SUPPORT NAFTA: Robert Goodlatte, R-Roanoke; L.F. Payne, D-Nelson County; Herbert Bateman, R-Newport News; Thomas J. Bliley, R-Richmond; James Moran, D-Alexandria; Owen Pickett, D-Virginia Beach; Frank Wolf, R-Fairfax County.

OPPOSE NAFTA: Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon; Leslie Byrne, D-Fairfax; Robert C. Scott, D-Newport News.

UNDECIDED: Norman Sisisky, D-Petersburg. AP

Keywords:
INFOLINE

by CNB