European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 5, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday March 5, 1993 . The stars and stripes Page 5senate backs extended jobless pay Washington a the Senate passed a $5.7 billion benefits package for the Long term unemployed wednesday beating Back a Republican attempt to weaken the measure by linking it to spending cuts. The Bill would extend for seven months the program that gives the Long term unemployed up to 26 additional weeks of benefits once they be exhausted their. Standard 26 weeks. The program is set to expire saturday. The Bill would extend it through oct. 2. The 66-33 vote returns the Bill to the House with president Clinton a economic program intact. Passage came after a Daylong debate in which majority democrats Defeated a gop proposal to prohibit new Money for jobless benefits unless accompanied by a cuts in other Federal programs. Ten republicans joined 56 democrats in approving the measure All 33 opposing were republicans. However the Senate added a democratic backed amendment that would freeze Congress pay at $133,600 for a year. The House which approved a Simi Lar jobless benefits Bill last month must agree to the Senate amendment before the measure can go to Clinton. That vote was expected thursday. The White House and conservative House democrats agreed in a Capitol Hill meeting wednesday that they would add spending cuts to Clinton a deficit reduction plan a if they believed a majority of Congress would agree to them. The meeting seemed to diminish the possibility of a rebellion by the fiscally conservative democrats. Quot we done to want to slow Down the whole package Quot rep. Timothy j. Penny d-minn., said afterwards. On the jobless benefits Bill republicans first offered a plan to pay part of the Bill a costs with cuts in government overhead a a rather than waiting for Clinton s deficit reduction plan that will come up this year. Gop lawmakers framed that vote As a watershed decision on whether lawmakers Are serious about deficit reduction. But they lost on a 57-43 vote the exact democratic Republican split in the chamber. Republicans pre in the stars and stripes 10 years ago March 5,1983 a the head of the House panel investigating the environmental Protection Agency called for an Independent prosecutor to probe the Agency citing evidence of perjury conflict of interest and political manipulation. 20 year ago March 5,1973 a Black september terrorists surrendered after a 60-hour siege in the saudi arabian embassy at Khartoum Sudan handing Over two Arab hostages and the bodies of three . And belgian diplomats whom they killed. 30 years ago March 5,1963 a the multilateral nuclear Force that the United states is proposing for Europe a defense is to be spearheaded by 200 Potaris missiles it was Learned. 40 year Sago March 5,1953 a soviet leaders said Premier Josef statin had suffered a stroke and was gravely ill calling of the nation for Unity in the face of Quot great  50 years ago March 5,1943 a american flying fortresses and liberators bombed the dutch port of Rotterdam and the German Industrial Center of Hamm in two Daylight raids. World War ii j 50 years ago today March 5 1�9�?T4�3 Britain s Royal air Force. Launches a four month Campaign against the Industrial Ruhr Valley in Western Germany sending 443 bombers to attack Essen. Soviet troops gain More ground toward Taraya Russa on the front West of Moscow in the South German tank forces run into stiffening resistance trying to push toward Kharkov. Source 2194 Days of War w. H. Smith publishers inc world almanac Book of world War ii Bison books corp., 1981 a the rooftops of three Homes Are All that remain above water wednesday As the swollen Gila River backs up behind the painted Rock dam near Gila Bend aril farm area s water Supply Cut off by Arizona flooding Wellton Ariz. A flooding forced a farm District to shut its main pumping Plant wednesday cutting off irrigation and household water supplies to hundreds of people along the Gila River. Quot the whole District is shut Down. Domestic water municipal water everything a said Farmer David Sharp of Roll. The Plant which helps bring water from the Colorado River to the Well ton Mohawk irrigation and drainage District was switched off to relieve flooding pressure threatening its main pumping Plant 17 Miles East of Yuma manager . Gould said. Ninety Miles of the Gila Are flooded from the painted Rock dam to the Colorado River above the City of Yuma. The River churns within its Banks in some stretches then spills through ruined dikes across mile wide stretches of Fields. Isolated farm houses and huge farm machines sit abandoned in several feel of water near Fields where Crews labor to save the lettuce crop. The City Isnit threatened but about 4,200 people along the Gila and in Colorado Bank trailer Parks have been urged to leave their Homes. Most of the Gila residents have heeded advice to leave and Many hauled their Mobile Homes with them said Yuma county sheriffs it. Lewis Wilbur. Dieted that it was a sign of things to come and that lawmakers would renege on their pledge to reduce the Federal deficit. Quot we had an Opportunity to put our Money where our Mouths Are aha we did t do it a said sen. Phil Gramm a Texas. To think it is bad news for the american people.�?�. Senate minority Leader Robert j. Dole called it a display of democrats Quot credit card mentality and noted Clinton was on Capitol Hill just a Day before talking about bringing Down the debt. But democrats brushed off the gop Effort As a ploy to sidetrack Clinton a economic plan. Quot this amendment is an Effort to torpedo the presidents economic program a said Senate majority George j. Mitchell of Maine. Quot if you want to kill the presidents economic program before giving it a Chance vote for  supporters said the measure would assure a safety net for 1.8 million out of work americans and by keeping them afloat help the economic recovery. Liberals push health care for All citizens Washington a Liberal lawmakers offered a Bill wednesday that would create Universal health coverage for All americans in two years by. Raising taxes scrapping private insurance and having government pay All medical Bills. The Bill with 54 co sponsors in the House and four in the Senate differs from the approach president Clinton a health care Reform task Force is taking. Quot the american health Security act will provide All citizens All the health care they need at a Cost that both they and their country can afford a said rep. Jim Mcdermott  a leading sponsor. By using a single payer system the county could save from $35 billion to $100 billion in administrative costs to help pay for benefits for the nation s 36 million uninsured the advocates said. Clinton s advisers arc looking at ways to expand health insurance coverage and to Force insurers to compete for the business of Large groups of individuals and Small businesses. But like this Bill they Are also searching for ways to impose a ceiling on health spending. The american health Security act would be financed 85 percent by the Federal government and the rest by states which would each design a system guaranteeing its citizens Access to a Broad package of benefits including Long term care and prescription drugs. It would supersede medicare medicaid and other Federal health programs but not veterans benefits or the Indian health . Sen. Paul Wellstone d-minn., said Quot a huge majority of americans would wind up paying less for coverage than they now do in the private sector. Wellstone said it would be financed primarily by raising the medicare payroll tax from 1.45 percent to 7.9 percent and raising both corporate and income taxes. The Bill was endorsed immediately by the american Public health association citizen action Consumers Union and labor groups. Easing curbs on Federal workers political rights backed Washington a the House voted wednesday to liberalize a half Century old Law that restricts the political rights of Federal workers. The Bill approved by 333-86, allows the nations 3 million Federal employees to run for some political offices organize fund raising events and publicly endorse candidates a As Long As they do it on their own time. But it also includes an amendment proposed by rep. Nancy l. Johnson r-conn., that would continue to bar Federal employees from seeking state or Federal office except for nonpartisan state offices. Workers would be allowed to run for any local office. The Bill revises the 1939 Hatch act which was enacted amid revelations of political coercion within the government and concerns among lawmakers that president Franklin d. Roosevelt would use Federal workers to help him get re a y. Elected. The new legislation was supported by 247 democrats 85 republicans and one Independent. Voting against it were two democrats and 84 republicans. The House passed similar Bills twice during the Bush administration Only to have them vetoed by then president George Bush. The current Bill is expected to pass smoothly through the Senate and president Clinton has pledged to sign it