THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, January 13, 1997 TAG: 9701130073
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: 104 lines
Both chambers of Congress are in recess until Jan. 21. The House may vote that day to penalize Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., for his admitted violations of House rules. The Senate has not yet announced its legislative program for the week. Here's how area House members were recorded on major roll-call votes in the week ending Jan. 10. There were no Senate votes. House
Speaker Gingrich: Members re-elected Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., as House speaker, the vote occurring as a House committee continued to probe his ethical conduct. Gingrich received 216 votes to 205 for Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., two for Jim Leach, R-Iowa, and one each for former GOP Reps. Robert Michel of Illinois and Robert Walker of Pennsylvania. To win, Gingrich needed a majority (213) of the 425 votes that were cast for a candidate. There are 435 House members. The remaining 10 members either declared ``present'' or did not vote.
Those declaring ``present'' were Gephardt and five Republicans who were making a symbolic statement against Gingrich: John Hostettler of Indiana, Scott Klug of Wisconsin, Constance Morella of Maryland, Mark Neumann of Wisconsin and Frank Wolf of Virginia. The four members not voting were Gingrich, Republican Sam Johnson of Texas and Democrats Julia Carson of Indiana and Frank Tejeda of Texas. Johnson said his flight to Washington was delayed, and Carson and Tejeda were hospitalized in their districts.
After the vote, Gingrich said: ``To whatever degree in any way that I have brought controversy or inappropriate attention to the House, I apologize. . . work with every member sent by their constituents to represent them in the U.S. Congress.''
Minority Whip David Bonior, D-Mich., said: ``There is an ethical cloud hanging over this House that will only get darker in the days to come. We could have postponed today's vote for speaker. . . . This case goes to the heart of our constitutional system. At issue is the ethical character of the man second in line to the presidency.''
A yes vote was to elect Gingrich speaker.
Bateman yes Pickett no
Scott no Sisisky no
Clayton no Jones yes
House rules: Voting 226 for and 202 against, the House adopted operating rules (H Res 5) for the 105th Congress. Most are noncontroversial measures carried forward from previous Congresses, with many dating from the First Congress in 1789. But Republicans this year added several rules, such as beginning random drug testing of House personnel and banning the distribution of campaign contributions on the House floor or in adjoining rooms.
Among new rules drawing Democratic objections was what amounted to a Jan. 21 deadline for a floor vote on ethics charges against Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., and a requirement that people testifying to House committees disclose any federal grants or contracts their organizations have received in recent years. The latter was criticized as an attempt by GOP conservatives to muzzle liberal groups that depend on federal funding. But Republicans defended it as a legitimate disclosure of how taxpayers' money is spent.
Another disputed new rule recognizes the fiscal concept of ``dynamic scoring'' within the tax-writing process. The Ways and Means Committee is required to estimate revenue increases that result from major tax cuts. Supply-siders argue that increased economic activity stimulated by lower taxes generates far more revenue than is lost by the specific cut. Other economists and politicians do not agree that tax cuts generate net revenue gains for the Treasury.
Gerald Solomon, R-N.Y., defended the requirement that committee witnesses identify their federal funding, saying it is backed by ``the Heritage Foundation, the National Taxpayers Union, the Wall Street Journal and, more than that, the taxpayers of my district want to know who is coming here testifying for more handouts and . . . where that money is coming from.''
David Skaggs, D-Colo., said the requirement raises concerns about ``the First Amendment's guarantee of the rights of all Americans to petition their government.'' He called it ``a new and absurd barrier to public participation in House hearings'' that will ``discourage and intimidate citizens from around the country in coming to talk to us about the public's business.''
A yes vote was to adopt standing House rules for the 105th Congress. Bateman yes Pickett no
Scott no Sisisky no
Clayton no Jones yes
Ethics vote: The House rejected, 205 for and 223 against, a bid by Democrats to delay a floor vote planned for Jan. 21 on ethics charges against Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga. Democrats wanted it postponed for up to two weeks. Most observers expect Gingrich to receive a reprimand, which is the mildest possible penalty for his admitted rules violations. This vote occurred during debate on H Res 5 (above).
Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, said: ``Once again, the Republican leadership, through this rules package, is trying to pervert the ethics process, to afford special treatment to Speaker Gingrich . . . ''
Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Tex., said: ``I have not set dates arbitrarily'' to help Gingrich. ``I have no agenda here except an orderly, respectful addressing of the needs of all the members of the House.''
A yes vote was to delay a Jan. 21 floor vote on Gingrich's ethics violations.
Bateman no Pickett yes
Scott yes Sisisky yes
Clayton yes Jones no ILLUSTRATION: [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.