European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 19, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday. March 19, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 5 House votes to make go Bill permanent Washington a the House voted 401-2tuesday to make permanent the i Bill program. Which has helped finance College educations for More than 18 million veterans including some members of Congress since it was enacted during world War it. The legislation also would rename inc program the Montgomery go Bill after rep. . Sonny Montgomery d-miss., chairman of the House Veter ans affairs committee. He said the latest version of the 4j-Ycar-Ald program has played a major role in saving the All Volunteer  the House passed measure was sent to the Senate when Reagan administration supporters were cancelled to try to Amend it to offer progressively higher benefits for longer periods of military service. The version of the go Bill approved in 1985 pro Vides educational benefits ranging up to $10,800 for veterans with a High school diploma who enlisted be tween july 1985. And june 30, 1988, and serve three years on Active duty or two years on Active duly and four years in the reserves. The House approved Bill would remove the 1988 enlistment deadline effectively making inv go Dill program permanent. Enlisted personnel who participate in the program make a non refundable contribution of $1.200 through payroll deductions and the veterans administration pays the rest of Ribeir benefits after discharge. Additional kicker benefits financed by the de sense department Are paid to personnel with hard to find Job skills and to those who re enlist for five years of Active duty or equivalent Reserve duly. The House was told that 84 percent of All new army recruits arc taking part in the go Bill program along with 54 percent or Navy recruits 64 percent of Marine recruits and 44 percent of air Force recruits. The congressional budget office says the program will produce a net reduction of $367 million in govern ment spending Over the next five year because person Nel contributions Wilt exceed benefits the system pays during that period. Rep. Gerald . Solomon r-n.y., called the 01bill the single most important drawing card the Mili tary has in attracting enlistees for the All Volunteer armed forces rep. Herbert h. Unit Man. A a said inc programs paying big dividends in terms of High Quality recruits Anil longer periods  Bateman and reps Bill Alexander l Ark an Robert k. Dornan. R-Calif., said they could not Bate afforded a College education without the go Bill. Rep. Richard Ray. D-gn., said that because of the incentive of the go Bill 94 percent of the army s recruits last year were High school gradual compare with 54 percent in 1980. Rep. Tim Johnson.  said the Bill is absolutely essential to our National defense and economic  the two dissenters in tuesday s vote were reps  r-minn., and Jim Moody a wis. Aides to Frencl said he could not be reached for comment. An aide to Moody said the congressman voted against the Bill to protest a Lack of fiscal responsibility in routinely extending Federal benefits at Alime of severe budget restraints. Artificial heart recipient celebrates year on implant Hershey a. A a Man who has lived a year on an artificial hear emerged from his Hospital apartment tuesday for the first time since january to join his wife and medical staff on the first anniversary of the  Cresswell 49, the second per son to receive the Penn slate heart had lunch with his wife Faith and about a dozen staff members at he Milton  medical Center. He received the 1-Pound air drive heart on March 17, 1986, after his body rejected a transplant  chances for finding and implant ing a human donor heart far Cressw flare not Good because his body produced antibodies in trying to reject the donor heart and doctors have had Little Success in removing the antibody proteins Saidur. William s. Pierce Developer of inc Penn slate  lunch tuesday Cresswell had one of his favorite foods shrimp and his guests had sandwiches Cole Slaw and Macaroni salad. He received a Sheet cake with a heart decoration and a congratulatory message arcs Secli s trip out of the apartment he shares with his wife was his first since january said medical Center spokeswoman Deborah Saline. Pierce said earlier tuesday thai Cress Well had been suffering from poor Appe %s"p"�twf�5-k f a wins %. Lite depression and kidney  talks very Little with people and seems to have less interest in his surround Ings Pierce said. He Doc speak with us but he in t As Likely to carry on a Conversa Tion and he does t have that twinkle smile he had a couple months  the Long Lime tethered to the 3 fool tall external pump that drives the artificial heart Cresswell has never said he wants the device turned off Pierce . Crossw Cal remarked to me today that she and Bob have had a wonderful year and Thev really would t have it any other Way Pierce  arcs Secli s implant surgery the Hershey team has Learned valuable information about blood cloning the effects of the heart on blood chemistry and he drive unit. Pierce said. The first person to receive the artificial heart named for Pennsylvania Slat University with which Hershey is affiliated was Anthony Mandia 44, of Phila  survived 11 Days on inc pump before gelling a human donor heart. Hedged 17 Days later of a massive infection along his Chest , too is fighting a persistent infection along the air drive lines in i Schisl. However Pierce said the infection is not life threatening As it was for Man Dia. A accused of abusing Trust of american vets Washington witness sat a congressional hearing tuesday accused the veterans administration of abusing the Trust of the wounded an retired americans it was created to serve by hastily and inaccurately processing pension and disability claims and then concealing the flaws worse the critics said internal Audi tors were punished for noting the flaws. The witnesses including a lawyer for veterans group and some veterans administration employees backed by Mem Bers of the House and Senate appeared at a joint meeting of the House and sen ate veterans affairs committees. Top officials of the veterans administration acknowledged serious mis takes but they denied any intent Loden veterans their rights. They blamed budget cuts fora decline in management control and the Quality of auditing of claims decisions. Legislators said tuesday s hearing was Only the beginning of congressional inquiries into inc Agency. Alan Cranston a Calif. Chairman of the Senate veterans affairs committee said lawmakers Wajud look into a Cavalier Altitude thai he said suggests Bat some Al the a May consid Crifie Agency above the  he and rep. Don Edwards of califor Nia the ranking Democrat on the House committee said the general accounting office an investigative Arm of Congress was beginning a Broad audit to uncover further discrepancies the Agency was warned to preserve its files. Much of the hearing entered on in veterans administration s response to a lawsuit being led by Gordon Erspamer lawyer who was among the witnesses tuesday in the Federal District court Insan Francisco. The judge in that cose Marilyn Hall paid last month found the veterans and mins Lvalion guilty of contempt of court for withholding and destroying crucial documents sought by Erspamer. She imposed about $ 115,000 in fines against the Agency and ordered ii to produce the documents the suit was brought by the National association of radiation survivors a group of world War ii veterans who have been denied benefits for injuries icy con lend Flem from their exposure to harmful radiation in nuclear weapons tests. Hie Suil seeks to overthrow a Century old Law that inc veterans say prohibits them from hav ing Legal representation in disputes with the veterans administration. Donald l. Ivors the Agency s general counsel said Al the hearing tuesday that. After a mismanaged Start the Agency is now providing the plaintiffs with so Many documents that us budget for the search and copy operation is More than $2 million. The broader Issue at the hearing was Agency by Erspamer have disclosed that the a claims process in which the at least three veterans adminis Lvalion Agency acts both As the sole judge and auditors had been reporting incidents of appeals court of veterans applications. Unfairness for years at Many of the agon Locum cols subpoenaed from they s 58 regional offices Sands of time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. March 19, 1947 film actress Carmen Miranda 33, married producer David Sebastian 38, at inc Good Shepherd Church in Beverly Hills. Calif. 30 years ago today. March 19. 1957 president Gamal Abde Nasser said in Cairo that All ship belonging to nations Al peace with his country would transit the Suez canal without trouble if they pay dolls to Egypt. 20 years ago  19, 1967 a three judge criminal i Ulrici court panel Ruli a Hal Clay  should be held for trial on charges of conspiring to assassinate president John f. Kennedy. The wealthy retired executive would be inc first Man sent to trial in the slaying. 10 years ago today. March 19, 1977 the House assassinations committee announced it would conduct Independent ballistics i its next week on the Bullet thai killed or. Marlin Luther King or. The com Millie also confirmed that investigators plan to interview James Earl Ray who is serving a 99-year prison sentence Tor he assassination of King