ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 4, 1996 TAG: 9601040068
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
Defying President Clinton and Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, stubborn House Republicans rebuffed a Senate bill Wednesday that would have immediately returned idled federal workers to their jobs.
Clinton called the partial government shutdown ``an unnatural disaster born of a cynical political strategy'' and said it would not make him retreat in budget talks. He met with GOP leaders for more than three hours at the White House without reaching an agreement.
Heeding Republican arguments that the shutdown is applying needed pressure on Clinton in budget talks, the House voted 206-167 against considering a Dole-authored measure that the Senate approved Tuesday for reopening agencies. Reps. Connie Morella of Maryland and Tom Davis of Virginia, whose districts are heavy with federal employees, were the only Republicans to support the measure.
``I think our strategy is a very flawed strategy,'' said Davis, R-Fairfax County. ``I think there are cracks and fissures'' among House Republicans.
Davis predicted that if GOP leaders try to adjourn the House and go home for three weeks, as the Republican leadership had planned to do today, there would be a rebellion.
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, opposed the defeated measure. Reps. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, and L.F. Payne, D-Nelson County, voted for it.
By day's end, both sides were claiming some progress in bridging the dispute over cutting taxes, a key goal of the Republican Congress. The GOP's $240 billion tax cut was a central part of the discussions, sources said.
The White House has long maintained that Republicans must take a significant chunk out of that tax cut and move it into Medicare and other social spending for a deal to be possible. Republican sources Wednesday said that House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., did offer ``flexibility'' on the tax cut and that Wednesday's talks were mostly Republicans countering Tuesday's outline to them by the White House.
A number of House Republicans softened their condition for an end to the shutdown. Earlier, many had insisted that the shutdown continue until Clinton agrees to a balanced-budget plan. Wednesday, some indicated they would consider ending the shutdown if Clinton presents a balanced-budget plan. Bargainers still were trying to resolve differences over how extensive to make tax cuts and how much savings to realize from Medicare, Medicaid and other social programs.
Clinton declared that the House GOP's position would not affect his own in negotiations over balancing the budget by 2002: ``This shutdown is not speeding our talks. It is only casting a shadow over them.''
Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., pointed his finger directly at the GOP-controlled House. He, Clinton and other Democrats praised Dole, R-Kan., for Senate passage of the measure.
Republicans blame the government's closure on Clinton's vetoes of spending bills. They vowed to continue it because they do not trust him to bargain without it.
``The sentiment is, we need to stay the course, try and get the president engaged, hold his feet to the fire without opening the government up,'' said freshman Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., after House Republicans discussed the shutdown privately.
According to LaHood and other Republicans, Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, said he has not seen enough evidence that Clinton truly wants a budget-balancing deal to merit lifting the shutdown.
Knight-Ridder/Tribune contributed information to this story.
LENGTH: Medium: 69 linesby CNB