European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 17, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday november 17, 1993 . A. The stars Ano stripes Page 5nine others lean toward naft Clinton feels Good As today s vote approaches Washington a supporters of the North american free Trade agreement captured nine More Likely votes tuesday a Day before the climactic House decision on the pact. With the announcements an associated press count stood at 202 Likely votes for the agreement and an apparent 201 votes in opposition. That left 31 publicly undeclared lawmakers with supporters needing 218 votes to prevail. There currently Are 434 members of the House. A a we re getting there a president Clinton said at the White House. �?�1 never say there Are enough votes until they re counted but i feel Good  previously undecided members now declaring their support for Naftal were reps. Joel Hefley a Colo. Thomas c. Sawyer a Ohio Frederick. S. Upton a Mich. Jamie l. Whitten a miss. William f. Clinger jr., a a. Paul e. Gillmor a Ohio Steve buyer Rind. And Jan Meyers a . Alcee l. Hastings d-fla., who had been lean ing toward a Quot not vote said tuesday that he was lean ing toward supporting it. Clinton met with governors at the White House to underline that 41 of the nations 51 governors support the Trade Accord among Mexico Canada and the United states. Quot i used to be a member of Congress a said washing ton gov. Mike Lowry a Democrat. Quot i know what its like to have Tough votes and have votes on confusing issues. This is not a Tough vote. Naftal is a very Clear Choice. Naftal is the right vote our Economy and its the right vote for our foreign  explaining her support of the agreement Texas gov. Ann Richards said Quot our Trade has grown to the South and we Are inextricably bound in this hemisphere to the future of Mexico and  the governors joined Clinton at an outdoor ceremony on a warm fall Day to argue that the Trade agreement will produce More american jobs a a Point hotly disputed by opponents who say . Companies will Rush to Mexico in search of cheaper labor and less stringent environmental rules. Linton brushed aside criticism from Al Cio president Lane Kirkland who had accused him of abdicating his leadership of the democratic party by offering political cover to republicans who vote for the agreement. Quot i will do everything i can to defend this vote and to say that a vote for this agreement should not be the basis for defeating any member of Congress without regard to party a the president said. Acknowledging the political risks for Naftal supporters Linton said he had discovered that Quot members of Congress Are literally willing to put their political careers on the line tonight to do what they think is right even though they re not quite sure their voters agree with them  a Clinton adviser David Gergen said tuesday morning that the White House Quot estimates conservatively that we re within about a dozen votes. I think it might be a Little closer than that. A number of people Are privately committing but they Haven to yet come out  in a determined Campaign to avoid a bruising political setback the White House was wooing not just undecided lawmakers but opponents As Well. Their weapons new wheat protections for Western legislators and agreements to protect producers of Citrus fruit sugar and Winter vegetables in Florida a big 23-Mcmber House delegation. Quot its extremely close and Naftal is going to be Rati fled a predicted Bill Franz cd a former House Republican from Minnesota advising the White House on Naftal. Foes of the agreement said they remained undaunted and claimed at least 223 supporters a More than enough to kill the pact designed to eliminate tariffs and other restrictions on Trade Between Canada Mexico and the United states Over 15 years. Rep. Marcy Kaptur a Ohio a Leader of the Naftal opponents accused Clinton of a wining and dining people now at taxpayers expense a a reference to the deals the White House has reportedly offered for votes. A new step for Freedom president Clinton mingles with religious and civil liberties leaders tuesday after signing a Bill that makes it harder for government to interfere with religious Freedom. The measure targets a 1990 supreme court decision that made it possible for state and Federal governments to restrict an individuals religious practices. Clinton said the new Law which passed easily in Congress holds government Quot to a very High level of proof before it interferes with someone s free exercise of  Page 1 average Black and White scores on individual skills Are so narrow that they Are statistically insignificant said David Banks an associate professor of statistics at Carnegie Mellon University who examined the data at the request of the Washington Post. Banks said however that while the comparisons of performance in individual skill areas do not appear to mean much a there is a tendency for the differences to be All in one direction and this is  Blacks outperformed Whites in two skill areas the a double obstacle course and radio communication. Senior civilians at the Pentagon for their part said there is better evidence so far that Blacks have a harder time getting promoted than they do competing with Whites on Job performance or military skills. Edwin Dom the defense departments top official for personnel matters said in an interview monday night that the jury is still out on whether Black marines fall Short on any meaningful test of military skill. The a one bit of data that is bothersome to us a he said is that in an analysis of 1993 officer selections a minorities and particularly Blacks appear less Likely to get promoted from Captain to major than Are  a Gen. Walter e. Boomer the assistant commandant of the marines said in an interview monday that Mundy a feels in his heart of hearts that he was quoted out of context on the lbs broadcast. What he was trying to say Boomer said was that a we Are making a very dedicated attempt to encourage Young Black officers to go into the combat arms Fields. And he expressed concern that from looking at the data from the Basic school some of the Black officers had a More difficult time  toughened Gay Rule pay raise dear House Washington aim the House has approved a $261 billion defense budget that endorses a More restrictive version of president Clinton a policy on homosexuals serving in the military and a 2.2 percent pay raise. The Overall package largely tracks president Clinton a military blueprint and delays Many of the Tough decisions on cutting weapons and reducing troops in a Post cold War world. The budget for the fiscal year that began oct. 1 is $2.6 billion less than the amount Clinton proposed and $12 billion below last years level. It was approved by a vote of 273135 on monday. The Senate is expected to vote on the package later this week before sending it to the president. A this report reflects a Well reasoned and prudent approach for funding defense programs a rep. Ronald v. Dellums d-calif., said of his first military budget since succeeding defense Secretary Les Aspin As House armed services committee chairman. Last week Congress approved and Clinton signed the defense spending Bill appropriating the funds that this legislation authorizes. The most contentious Issue of the year was Clinton a Campaign pledge to lift the 50-year-old ban on homosexuals serving in the armed forces a a vow the president was forced to abandon when opposed by the military and Congress. Clinton set Forth a policy of a a done task done to Tell done to pursue on july 19. The policy says sexual orientation. Is not a bar to service but open homosexuals will be forced out of the military. Senate armed services committee chairman Sam Nunn d-ga., a leading opponent of ending the ban wrote his own policy which was adopted by the House and Senate. The Nunn policy says Quot done task about sexual orientation but would allow a future defense Secretary to reinstate the question. It says a a done to Tell because homosexuality is an a Sun acceptable risk to morale Good order and discipline. The Nunn policy also makes no mention of Quot done to pursue to Stop Witch Hunts to ferret out Gays. The White House and Nunn have said the senators policy is Quot fully consistent with the presidents plan. Clinton a policy is a directive to the armed services. But Nunns policy once the president signs the legislation will be Law. Other provisions of the authorization Bill include a a pay raise of 2.2 percent effective Jan. 1, 1994, despite Clinton Scall for an across the Board pay freeze. A approximately $3 billion for ballistic missile defense a Cut of $745 million from Clinton a request and $1.1 billion below last years level. Earlier this year the Pentagon overhauled the strategic defense initiative to focus on a limited defense system. A repeal of the restriction on women serving on Navy combat ships in a move consistent with Clinton administration policy. A $2.9 billion to assist communities and contractors hard hit by reductions in defense spending. A authorization of $2 billion for six c-17 transport planes. But reflecting Congress disenchantment with a program marked by Cost overruns schedule delays and wings that have failed stress tests the Bill authorized $100 million for such alternatives As c-5 planes or wide body aircraft. #$1.7 billion to Complete the b-2 stealth bomber program and removal of the limits imposed on about $2.3 billion previously appropriated. The legislation also Caps the program at 20 aircraft and $44.4 billion. A cancellation of the Navy a Long Range Carrier based a plane and the air forces Multi role fighter plane. The decision followed the Pentagon a recommendations on future tactical aircraft