THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 20, 1997 TAG: 9702200130
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NAGS HEAD LENGTH: 57 lines
U.S. Rep. Walter P. Jones Jr. said Wednesday that he is co-sponsoring a bill that would permanently ban offshore oil and gas drilling off the Atlantic coast.
Jones, a second-term Republican from Farmville, will join Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J. in co-sponsoring the legislation.
``This bill would put an end to that threat,'' Jones said. ``I think the pressure is somewhat lessened now, because the energy companies have backed off. But we believe that this legislation needs to be in place.''
Pallone was unsuccessful in an effort to pass similar legislation two years ago.
Jones spoke to a gathering of Dare County Republicans at a Nags Head restaurant as part of a three-day swing through Hyde and Dare counties, which are in his sprawling district.
Jones, who won re-election last November, said there is a renewed spirit of bi-partisan cooperation between the GOP-controlled Congress and the Democratic administration.
``We have a number of large, complex problems,'' Jones said. ``With Social Security, Medicare and the budget to deal with, we have to learn to work together to find solutions for the good of the country.''
Jones said there is some question as to how long the Social Security system can remain solvent.
``It depends on which set of experts you believe,'' Jones said. ``Some say it will remain solvent until 2017, others until 2008. My major concern is that we fix the system for those people who are 35 and younger. Congress has a responsibility to repair the system to ensure that for those people.''
On Medicare, Jones favors the establishment of a congressional commission to review and overhaulthe system.
``I believe we can fix the system for the short term,'' Jones said. ``But the commission may be able to determine some long-term answers.''
Jones also anticipates some movement toward tax reform.
``I think you'll see some legislation to make the IRS less intrusive in people's lives,'' Jones said. ``In March, you'll see some major tax legislation, either in a flat tax or a national sales tax, all aimed at easing the tax burden on working families.''
Jones, a member of the House National Security Committee, said defense will also be a priority in the 105th Congress.
``We don't have the Soviet Union. But China, North Korea, Iraq and Iran could explode at any time,'' Jones said. ``I believe our military understands that it will be provided with the resources it needs, but not the kind of dollars that were being spent in the Reagan years.''
The military must also be more wisely utilized, Jones said.
``I was opposed to our mission in Somalia and in Haiti,'' Jones said. ``Those were undertaken before I went to Congress. But we can't be the world's policeman.''
On an issue closer to home, Jones expects no change on the almost three-decade fight to build rock jetties at Oregon Inlet.
``As long as there's a Democratic president in office who does not support the project, we won't be able to get anything done,'' Jones said.