THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, May 15, 1995 TAG: 9505150064
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 140 lines
Coast Guard: By a vote of 146 for and 272 against, the House rejected an amendment to keep in operation 23 small-boat Coast Guard stations, some dating to the 19th century, that are targeted for closing in the agency's FY '96 budget (HR 1361). Savings of more than $3 million from the closures would help to offset increased spending for pay raises and equipment purchases. The Coast Guard says it would maintain boaters' safety in the absence of the stations with the use of helicopters and advanced technology. The agency's overall budget of $3.7 billion was later passed on a near-unanimous vote.
Amendment sponsor James Traficant, D-Ohio, said: ``If these stations are closed, no matter who speaks to the contrary, even by the Coast Guard's own admission lives will be lost. What is a life worth, Congress? I do not know anymore.''
Opponent Howard Coble, R-N.C., said that in budget cutting ``we must make a start. The Coast Guard is streamlining. . . . And it is they better than any who know what bases and what stations can be closed.'' He added that ``safety is not going to be compromised.''
A yes vote opposed closing Coast Guard small-boat stations.
Bateman No Pickett No
Scott Yes Sisisky No
Clayton Yes Jones No
Coastal pollution: The House adopted, 224 for and 199 against, an amendment to include the Coastal Zone Act in legislation overhauling the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. The bill (HR 961), which remained in debate, shifts much of the burden to ensure clean water to states and localities, weakening Environmental Protection Agency authority to regulate discharges by businesses, farms and municipalities. With this vote, the House kept in place a five-year-old statute under which Washington and 30 coastal states jointly regulate polluted runoff into beaches, estuaries and other areas.
Sponsor Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., said ``this is a public health-public safety issue, as well as an environmental issue. The health costs pose even greater threats to the public welfare, not to mention the declining fisheries, the lost income (and) jobs for the tourism industry.''
Opponent Bud Shuster, R-Pa., said it was ``not true'' that the underlying bill would eliminate coastal zone management. Instead, he said, ``the bill does not allow the federal government to mandate where a state coastal zone boundary should be'' and provides other flexibility to states.
A yes vote was to keep the Coastal Zone Act on the books.
Bateman No Pickett No
Scott Yes Sisisky No
Clayton Yes Jones No
Substitute plan: By a vote of 184 for and 242 against, the House defeated a substitute to a bill overhauling the federal law on clean water (HR 961, above). In part, the substitute sought to retain existing federal regulatory power over ocean dumping, wetlands preservation, stormwater discharges by localities and agricultural discharges. It deleted risk-assessment and cost-benefit hurdles from the new legislation, and it sought to eliminate taxpayer reimbursement of those whose property is devalued by federal ``takings.''
Supporter Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the underlying bill was ``harmful to both people and the environment and would degrade rivers, streams, estuaries, wetlands and coastal zones throughout the country, including the sources of drinking water for two-thirds of all Americans.''
Opponent Bill Emerson, R-Mo., objected to the substitute because, he said, ``the Washington bureaucracy and professional environmental elitists have been ramming these edicts down the throat of the American taxpayer for far too long. It is time for citizens to have a say in the process.''
A yes vote supported the substitute.
Bateman No Pickett Yes
Scott Yes Sisisky No
Clayton Yes Jones No SENATE
Product liability: By a vote of 61 for and 37 against, the Senate passed a bill (HR 956) to limit the liability of those who make and sell defective products. The bill was supported by the manufacturers' lobby and opposed by the trial lawyers' lobby. It applies national standards to product liability cases in state as well as federal courts. In part, it caps punitive damages against certain business defendants at twice the level of compensatory damages. The bill was sent to conference with a much broader House-passed measure.
Supporter John Glenn, D-Ohio, said ``the current system is unfair to consumers'' because ``too much of the money paid by manufacturers goes to attorneys' fees instead of the injured party (and) the high cost of product liability insurance means higher costs for consumers.''
Arguing that the threat of high punitive damages keeps dangerous product off the market, opponent Bill Bradley, D-N.J., said bill ``tilts the scales of justice too far to the disadvantage of individual consumers (and) endangers the health and safety of hard working Americans.''
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Faircloth Yes
Helms Yes
Robb Yes
Warner Did not vote
Waco hearings: Voting 74 for and 23 against, the Senate blocked a senator's call for hearings within three months into controversial assaults by federal agents at Waco, Texas, in 1993 and Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992. The vote occurred during debate on S-534, which remained in debate. It was a defeat for Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who sought an Aug. 4 deadline for a Judiciary Committee airing of the ill-fated raids that have upset citizen militia groups. The vote was a victory for Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who argued for delaying the Senate inquiry to keep it from interfering with the ongoing FBI probe of the Oklahoma City bombing.
Hatch said he wanted to ensure that ``every available leader of the FBI, every person in law enforcement that we can bring to bear on the Oklahoma situation, is out there doing that rather than up here testifying on Capitol Hill.''
Specter said: ``I am more convinced than ever that there is real public tension as to the events in Waco, Texas, and Ruby Ridge, Idaho. . . . a lot of people think there has been a coverup. . . .''
A yes vote was to delay Senate hearings into Waco and Ruby Ridge.
Faircloth No
Helms Yes
Robb Yes
Warner Did not vote ILLUSTRATION: ROLL CALL: How area members of Congress voted for the week
ending May 13.
[Photos, telephone numbers and addresses of senators and
representatives from Virginia and North Carolina.]
To reach any representative or senator on any issues that concern
you, call (202) 224-3121. The Seante ZIP code is 20510. The House
ZIP code is 20515.
by CNB