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

DATE: SUNDAY, April 9, 1995                   TAG: 9504100062
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HOW THEY VOTED

The House on Wednesday rejected 313-119 a Democratic alternative to a Republican tax-cut bill. The Democratic plan would have cut taxes by $31.6 billion for families earning less than $100,000 annually, and would have allowed people tax-free withdrawals from individual retirement accounts to pay for higher-education costs. The measure also would have delayed tax breaks until deficit reduction targets were met. Proponents said the measure, unlike the Republican bill, would give tax relief to needy middle-class families and not the wealthy. Opponents argued for a deeper tax cut to spur economic growth and provide relief to more families. A ``yes'' vote favors the Democratic alternative.

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Abingdon) ... Y

Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Roanoke) ... N

Rep. L.F. Payne (D-Nelson County) ... N

Republican tax cut plan

The House on Wednesday approved 246-188 a bill that would cut taxes $189.9 billion over five years. The Republican bill includes a $500-per-child tax credit for families earning up to $200,000 a year, and steep cuts in taxes on capital gains, the profits earned from the sale of assets. Taxes on Social Security benefits would also be reduced. Proponents of the bill argued tax cuts would provide relief to families while spurring economic growth. Opponents countered that the measure would benefit primarily the wealthy while increasing the national debt. A ``yes'' vote favors the GOP tax cut plan.

Boucher ... N

Goodlatte... Y

Payne ... N

Emergency defense funds

The House on Wednesday passed 343-80 a bill negotiated in a conference committee between House and Senate members that would provide $3 billion in emergency funds to the Defense Department to pay for past peacekeeping operations. The bill also includes $2.71 billion in new Pentagon spending, offset by cuts in lower priority defense programs. Proponents of the measure said it is necessary to reimburse the military for troop deployments to Haiti, Somalia, Cuba and the Persian Gulf. Opponents complained that the Clinton administration should have consulted Congress before deploying troops to those countries. The Senate passed the measure by voice vote. A ``yes'' vote favors the supplemental appropriations bill.

Boucher ... Y

Goodlatte ... Y

Payne ... Y