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

DATE: SUNDAY, May 21, 1995                   TAG: 9505220058
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HOW THEY VOTED

Votes of Western Virginia representatives on major legislation last week. A ``Y''means the member voted for the measure; an ``N'' means the member voted against the measure.

Senate

The Senate voted 96-3 Wednesday to hold public hearings on the Whitewater affair. The Senate will create a special panel to investigate President Clinton's involvement in the collapse of Whitewater Savings & Loan during his tenure as governor of Arkansas. Hearings will begin after the Independence Day recess, and could extend into next year.

Sen. Charles Robb, Democrat...Y

Sen. John Warner, Republican...Y

House

Wetlands

The House voted 240-185 Tuesday for a bill that would make broad changes to a law designed to protect wetlands and ensure a clean water supply. The bill would give states broad discretion to enforce anti-pollution laws, and would exempt certain industries from some of the strictest of those laws. The measure also narrows the definition of a wetland to allow development. Supporters of the bill said environmental laws have become too extreme and need to be made more flexible. Opponents charged the bill would turn back decades of progress in protecting the environment. A ``yes'' vote supports the changes to environmental laws.

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Abingdon) N

Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Roanoke) Y

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

Spending cuts

The House voted 238-193 Thursday for a resolution outlining spending cuts to balance the federal budget by 2002. The plan would close three federal agencies, drastically scale back spending increases on Medicare, cut spending on domestic social programs and provide a $354 billion tax cut. The plan would cut a total of $1.4 trillion over the next seven years. Proponents of the plan argued it would reduce the size of government while relieving the debt burden for future generations. Opponents said the cuts would hurt the poor and middle class. A ``yes'' vote favors the balanced-budget blueprint.

Boucher N

Goodlatte Y

Payne N

Recissions

The House voted 235-189 Thursday for a bill that would cut $16.4 billion from certain programs that have money remaining in the 1995 budget. Cuts in job training and education programs have prompted President Clinton to threaten he will veto the measure. The Department of Housing and Urban Development would lose $6.3 billion, and funding for airports and highways would drop by $2.5 billion. The measure also would provide $6.7 billion for disaster relief, and $275 million in debt relief to the country of Jordan. Supporters said the bill was a solid first step toward reducing the federal deficit. Opponents criticized the cuts in social programs. A ``yes'' vote favors the recissions package.

Boucher N

Goodlatte Y

Payne N

by CNB