DATE: Monday, June 23, 1997                 TAG: 9706230023

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B9   EDITION: FINAL 

DATELINE: WASHINGTON                        LENGTH:  134 lines

ROLL CALL: HOW AREA MEMBERS OF CONGRESS VOTED.

Here's how area members of Congress were recorded on major roll call votes in the week ending June 20. HOUSE

Defense cut: The House refused, 89-332, to impose a 5 percent across-the-board cut in the Pentagon's $268 billion budget for fiscal 1998. The amendment sought to reduce military spending by about $13.5 billion. It was offered to a bill (HR 1119) that would raise defense spending by about 1 percent over the comparable 1997 legislation. The bill remained in debate.

Ron Dellums, D-Calif., said: ``Given the balanced budget environment in which we are debating this bill . . . we can indeed reduce the military budget by (this) modest amount. . . . The Cold War is over, and we need to move on. We are spending an extraordinary amount'' on defense.

Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., said: ``Peace through strength is a motto that we had all through the Cold War, and it worked. We brought the Soviet Union to the bargaining table because we were strong. We're going to be able to maintain the peace in the future because we're strong.''

A yes vote was to cut military spending by 5 percent across the board.

Bateman no Pickett no

Scott no Sisisky no

Clayton no Jones no

Supercomputers: The House approved, 332-88, an amendment to HR 1119 (above) designed to prevent U.S. companies from exporting supercomputers to countries such as China that possess nuclear weapons technology. Four Cabinet secretaries and the director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency would have to give written approval within 10 days of any proposed sale. Supporters called this a national security measure, while opponents said countries such as Germany and Italy would readily make sales that Congress denies to American firms. Tillie Fowler, R-Fla., said, ``It has been verified that the supercomputers that have been sold to. . . . China and to Russia can be turned around and used militarily against our young men and women. . . . This is inexcusable.''

Sam Gejdensen, D-Conn., said the amendment will ``do nothing for national security'' because ``the Chinese already have computers with this capability. The only thing you're going to do is turn the high-speed computer market out of this country, hurt America's future and give somebody else control.''

A yes vote was to approve the amendment.

Bateman yes Pickett yes

Scott yes Sisisky yes

Clayton yes Jones yes

Abortion: Voting 196-224, the House rejected an amendment to HR 1119 (above) permitting servicewomen and military dependents to receive privately financed abortions at armed forces hospitals abroad. Under present law, privately financed abortions may be performed at U.S. clinics overseas only to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape and incest.

Ron Dellums, D-Calif., said these women ``should not have to risk their health because they are forbidden to have access to American military hospitals for a procedure that is constitutionally protected. This ban may cause a woman stationed overseas who is facing an unintended pregnancy to be forced to delay that procedure several weeks. . . . ''

Henry Hyde, R-Ill., said backers of the amendment ``want to use taxpayer facilities - forget who's going to pay for it - to kill an innocent, unborn child. Some of us find that abhorrent. I know the woman has rights. . . . But if there's any way to narrow it down to give that little girl or little boy .

A yes vote supported the amendment.

Bateman no Pickett yes

Scott yes Sisisky yes

Clayton yes Jones no

Campaign probe: By a vote of 216-194, the House expanded the authority of Chairman Dan Burton, R-Ind., to depose witnesses in a Government Reform and Oversight Committee probe of 1996 campaign fund raising. This measure (H Res 167) is a break from longstanding bipartisan consultation in picking witnesses for testimony under oath in special committee investigations. Republicans called it warranted because many key figures, scattered around the globe, are proving to be elusive. Democrats contended it marks the first time a committee chair has received unilateral power to depose witnesses under oath.

Gerald Solomon, R-N.Y., said the committee investigation has turned up signs that ``national security has been compromised by high-ranking political appointees of the Clinton administration. . . . Not merely ethical violations or moral transgressions, these are crimes which have led to breaching of our security.''

Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said: ``When in the history of this Congress did a chairman go out and unilaterally issue subpoenas? Never in the history of this Congress has it happened. . . . We should be not wasting 12 or 15 million dollars on a partisan investigation.''

A yes vote was to expand Chairman Burton's authority in the investigation of fund raising.

Bateman yes Pickett no

Scott no Sisisky no

Clayton didn't vote Jones yes SENATE

State Department: Voting 90-5, the Senate passed a bill (HR 1757) authorizing the United States to pay $819 million in delinquent dues to the United Nations - after the U.N. trims its bureaucracy by 1,000 jobs, reimburses the cost of American participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations, and stops holding costly international conferences such as Beijing women's summit and the Rio Earth summit of recent years. Also, U.S. support of the U.N. budget would drop from 25 percent to 20 percent. Additionally, the bill merges agencies such as the U.S. Information Agency and Arms Control and Disarmament Agency into the State Department, and authorizes $12.2 billion in fiscal 1998-99 to operate the State Department and other foreign affairs agencies. Foreign aid is to be funded separately. The bill was sent to conference with the House.

Jesse Helms, R-N.C., praised the reduced U.S. contribution to U.N. operating costs, saying ``that one, single reform . . . had it been enacted five years ago, would have saved the American taxpayers more than $500 million.''

Paul Sarbanes, D-Md., said the bill's suggestion of possible U.S. withdrawal from the United Nations ``is very detrimental to our international leadership. It affects our credibility at the United Nations, and around the world.''

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Robb yes Warner yes

Helms yes Faircloth yes

Spy budget: The Senate refused, 43-56, to require public disclosure of the single figure showing total spending for U.S. intelligence activities. The vote occurred as the Senate approved the fiscal 1998 authorization bill (S 858) for the CIA and other spy agencies. The U.S. intelligence budget has been widely reported at about $30 billion annually.

A yes vote favored public disclosure of total spending on U.S. intelligence.

Robb yes Warner no

Helms no Faircloth 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.

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