European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday september 20, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 5 Dod overcharged on b-2, auditor says by the los Angeles times the top Pentagon auditor at Hughes aircraft has asserted that the aerospace company overcharged the air Force on development of the b-2 bombers radar system concurring with allegations raised in a major lawsuit brought by a Hughes executive according to an internal government memorandum. The memo which was prepared in March for the National director of the defense contract audit Agency also disclosed that the House armed services committee has initiated an investigation into the alleged overcharging on the b-2�?Ts radar. A congressional investigator said wednesday that the committee began an inquiry this year after learning of the controversy. The air Force is withholding $15 million from Hughes for allegedly overcharging on the radar by secretly spreading costs Between that program and other radar programs at the company s radar systems group in Al Segundo Calif. Attorneys for Hughes aircraft denied wednesday that the company had overcharged the air Force. They said the audit Agency erred in its findings because it misunderstood specific facts in the radar Case. Hughes is seeking to recover the $15 million they added. In 1989, William Schumer. The Hughes contracting executive responsible for the radar filed a whistle Blower lawsuit. He alleged that Hughes had secretly and illegally decided to share costs Between four radar programs a in effect shifting some costs from fixed Price contracts for fighter radars to a Cost plus contract on the b-2 bomber. Under a fixed Price contract a defense contractor bears the liability of any Cost overrun while on a Cost plus agreement the government pays for overruns. Schumer alleged that Hughes had secretly created an internal Quot commonality agreement Quot in which the program managers of the radar group had decided to spread the Cost of technology among the radars for the i -14. F-15. F-18 and b-2. The agreement was ordered in july 1985 by than president of the radar systems group . Giacoletto. According to the suit. James j. Gallagher an attorney at the Law firm Mckenna amp Cuneo. Which represents Hughes said that electronics technology developed for the b-2 was also used in the k-15. He said Hughes properly allocated costs about equally to the two programs. Hughes eventually lost Money on the fixed Price contract for the f-15. He said. 1 he Justice department reviewed Schumer s allegations and declined to join the suit. But Schumer is continuing to press the ease and recently retained a new attorney. Herbert 1 la if. Kerrey sets up presidential committee Washington apr Nebraska democratic sen. Bob Kerrey on wednesday established a a Kerrey for president Quot committee and said he would formally announce his 1992 plans in his Hometown of Lincoln on sept. 30. Kerrey who also filed a statement of candidacy with Federal officials has been telling democrats privately he will seek the democratic nomination. Two sources close to the senator said wednesday he was sure to enter the race. When Kerrey announced this month that he was considering a White House bid he said his interest was a based upon the belief that the possibility of a better future 20 years from now will be determined by our actions  he said then the theme of a Kerrey Campaign would be to create a a stronger Economy and a civilized  documents sent to the Federal elec in the stars and stripes 10years ago sept. 20,1981 a president Reagan intends to propose abolishing the consumer product safety commission and the Bureau of alcohol tobacco and firearms As Well As Sharp cutbacks in Federal Loans and loan guarantees As part of his next round of budget cuts government sources said. 20years ago sept. 20,1971 a an investigation into the Attica state prison uprising which claimed the lives of 30 inmates and 10 civilian hostages revealed that the rebel inmates were a very near an agreement Quot when authorities attacked and gained control of the prison. 30years ago sept. 20,1961 a delegates worked feverishly behind the scenes trying to set up a Stopgap authority to keep the United nations functioning until a Secretary general is chosen to succeed Dag Hammar skjold who died in an air crash.40 years ago sept. 20, 1951 a Greece and Turkey were assured entry into the North Atlantic treaty organization by the unanimous support of the 12 nato countries. Atlantic Alliance military leaders began developing plans to establish a nato Middle East command. Tion commission list Jack Quinn a Washington lawyer As the Campaign committees chief counsel and Hugh Westbrook chairman of a Miami based hospice management firm As its treasurer. The Fec filing allows Kerrey to Start raising and spending Money for the Campaign. Three democrats already have declared their presidential candidacies a Iowa sen. Tom Harkin Virginia gov. L. Douglas Wilder and former Massachusetts sen. Paul Tsongas. Arkansas gov. Bill Clinton is expected to declare his candidacy soon. Former California gov. Jerry Brown has said he s running and has filed a declaration of candidacy with the Fec but Hasni to made a formal announcement. Others mulling Over the race include Jesse Jackson and Oklahoma rep. Dave Mccurdy. Kerrey 48, is a divorced millionaire. Whose businesses include a health club and a string of restaurants. He dated actress Debra Winger while serving a term As governor of Nebraska. Kerrey lost part of a leg in Vietnam and received the medal of Honor for his service there. In the Senate he opposed attempts to ban Flag burning and voted against giving president Bush authority to go to War in the persian Gulf. His War record has largely protected him from the political consequences of such votes. Kerrey is an authority on agriculture and recently introduced a sweeping health care Reform Bill. He often cites his own disability and resulting medical needs in discussing his plan to provide better Access to Quality health care in the United states. Sen. Boh Kerrey pro Choice advocates urge Senate to reject nomination of Thomas Washington a abortion rights advocates thursday urged the Senate to reject the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the supreme court saying he would vote to put american women at the mercy of Back Alley abortionists. A this confirmation process will determine whether millions of american women will be forced terrified and alone to face one of the most devastating crises of their lives a said Kate Michel Man director of the National abortion rights action league. A the record shows that if confirmed. Judge Thomas would indeed vote to Takeaway this fundamental right a to take this nation Back to the Days when women had no alternative but the Back alleys for health care a Michelman told the Senate judiciary committee. But the panels chairman. Sen. Joseph r. Biden jr., d-del., accused the Abor Tion rights activists of a a failure of logic by suggesting that a speech Thomas gave in 1987 was evidence he would vote to overturn the supreme court decision that legalized abortion. Biden also rebuked sen. Paul Simon diii., for mentioning that Thomas has attended an episcopal Parish that is Active in the anti abortion movement. The episcopal Church nationally is generally pro Choice. A where he goes to Church is totally irrelevant a Biden said noting that he is one of four pro Choice roman catholics on the panel. The panel which is considering the Thomas nomination is expected to conclude hearings this week. A committee vote on the nomination could come As Early As next thursday. Attendance by senators has dropped significantly since monday when Thomas concluded five Days of testimony. But several senators who have not said How they would vote notably sen. Howell Heflin d-ala., listened attentively As Michelman and other women urged rejection of the nomination. A Black conservative who has been an outspoken opponent of affirmative action Thomas is seeking Senate confirmation to succeed Justice Thurgood Marshall the nations first Black supreme court Justice. Michelman. Faye Wattleton the president of planned parenthood and former Vermont gov. Madeleine m. Kunin said lawmakers should not allow Thomas to Duck their questions on the abortion Issue. A i Beli eve i speak for Many women when i say we have a right to a forthright answer on this most wrenching moral Issue of our time a said Kunin a Democrat. A in a democracy it is a sad Day indeed when silence assures  Michelman gave the Senate judiciary committee an emotional description of her own decision nearly 20 years ago to have an abortion when her husband left her and she discovered she was pregnant with her fourth child. A haying the child would have made it impossible to Cope with an already desperate situation a she said. Because abortion was then not a guaranteed right Michelman said she had to get permission from Hospital officials a All male a and a the Man who had just deserted me and my  Quot it was a degrading dehumanizing experience a an assault on my integrity my dignity and my very sense of self a she said. Texas attorney Sarah Weddington who argued the landmark 1973 Case that legalized abortion accused Thomas of Quot trying to mislead the people of this committee Quot about the Issue. Quot All of the evidence before he invited your confirmation was he that he was opposed to abortion a she told lawmakers referring to Thomas a Praise in a 1987 speech of an anti abortion article As a a a splendid example of the application of natural  Biden disagreed saying Quot i done to find any evidence in the record where he evidenced extreme views on abortion. I Horn As insisted in his testimony that Praise Lor the article by conservative businessman Lewis Lehrman was a a throwaway line intended to win support for his views on natural Law. The remark Thomas said was not an endorsement of  conclusion that unborn fetuses have a natural right to live. Sen. Patrick Leahy d-vt., said he thought 1 Homas had Given an Quot incredible answer Quot when he insisted that he had never discussed the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade. A the is probably the Only lawyer in the country who could make that claim a Leahy said. Thus far no solid opposition against Thomas has formed in the Senate. And the nomination got an important boost wednesday from a key Southern Democrat sen. J. Bennett Johnston of Louisiana who had opposed Robert Bork a supreme court nomination