European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 13, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Vol. 51, no. 57 35 saturday june 13,1992 d 8693 civilian buyouts sought Pentagon trying to avoid rims during draw Down by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a defense Secretary Dick Cheney has asked Congress for authority to offer buyouts to certain civilian employees As a Way to encourage voluntary separations and minimize potential rims officials said thursday. The proposal part of the administrations defense adjustment assistance package would authorize the defense department to offer financial incentives to designated groups of civilians in specified jobs who Volunteer to resign or take Early retirement. The amount of the incentive would be based on the employees years of Federal service using the current formula for Severance pay Given to workers who Are fired. The incentive would be paid in a Lump sum up to a maximum of $20,000. A gs-9 with 10 years of service would be eligible for about $6,000, while a gs-9 taking Early retirement with 25 years of service could get the maximum amount. It would be up to the defense department to determine occupations grades and locations of employees who would be eligible for the incentive officials said. Cheney has already determined that employees who already meet age and service requirements for regular retirement and members of the senior executive service would not be eligible. A in fact the majority of the defense departments civilians would not be eligible a a Pentagon official said. Quot its just a targeted tool that we could use in limited circumstances to avoid some rims which is one of our stated goals during the another provision in the same proposal that has been previously announced by president Bush would allow employees at closing bases to accrue unlimited amounts of annual leave. Under current Law most employees can carry a maximum leave balance of 240 hours or 30 Days from one year to the next. Any leave above that level is lost. A that provision would allow employees at closing bacs to get a larger Lump sum payment for their unused annual leave if they Are separated a the official see buyouts on Page 2 secret service agents escort president Bush in Panama City thursday after police fired tear Gas at protesters. Clarification in its March 22-25 series of articles examining the military car sales program in Europe the stars and stripes reported that its research had found a prices of new cars for Sale on military installations in Europe exceed the mandatory limits in More than one out of three that conclusion was based on written prices obtained from salesmen representing Chrysler Ford and general motors at new car sales locations in Germany the United kingdom Italy and Belgium. Newspaper ombudsman Philip Foisie who reviewed the journalistic process used in reporting on the car sales program said a even a reasonably Carer Al Reader might have missed the full import of the distinction Between the Salesman a Price and Price on the order acceptance form verified by the computer a the stars and stripes found no evidence that actual sales exceed the 7 percent markup ceiling As it is calculated by the car sales firm. The markup ceiling is set by contractual agreement Between cafes and the car firm. Overseas military sales group which Sells general motors and Chrysler vehicles said that despite whatever Price is quoted by its salespersons to potential customers a computer Check is made to ensure against overcharging before the Sale is made final. This Point was made in the series and again by an oms spokesman in a prominently displayed Page 1 article on March 26. Oms said its computer system a rejects any order outside the cafes contract formula and will not process that order until the error is similarly readers May have been misled by a headline that read a surveys show substantial violation of markup limits for cafes cars and by the use of the word both the headline and the word referred to the prices quoted by sales agents not to the 7 percent markup ceiling on cars that were actually sold. Bush defends . Record on ecology Rio de Janeiro Brazil apr european nations pledged new Money Friday at the Earth Summit to clean up the environment while president Bush defended economic growth As the key to saving the planet. More than 110 world leaders gathered for the closing Days of the Summit and a succession of presidents and prime ministers voiced their concerns for the future of the environment with the most critical comments coming from third world leaders. A America s record on environmental Protection is second to none. So i did not come Here to apologize a Bush told the world leaders. A by now it is Clear that to sustain development we must protect the environment and to protect the environment we must sustain but cuban president Fidel Castro received the loud see Bush on Page 2 budget amendment fails to pass House Earth Summit from wire reports Washington the House on thursday narrowly Defeated a controversial amendment to the Constitution that would have forced the Federal budget to be balanced by 1998. Proponents of the amendment argued that the amendment was the Only was to restore fiscal discipline to the budget which this year is expected to run a deficit of $400 billion. Opponents derided it As an election year scam. The vote was 280-153, a solid majority that fell nine votes shy of the two thirds needed to Send the measure to the Senate. One Hundred sixteen democrats and 164 republicans voted for the measure while 150 democrats two republicans and one Independent opposed it. The vote capped weeks of lobbying and two Long Days of debate that blended economics with election year politics. President Bush favored the plan while presidential nominee Bill Clinton opposed the measure As did Likely Independent candidate Ross Perot. A if you think the Ameri see budget on Page 2
