European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 17, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday november 17, 1993 . The stars and stripes Pago 5 13 others lean toward Naftal Clinton feels Good As today s vote approaches Washington a president Clinton Cap tured 13 More Likely votes tuesday As momentum appeared shifting his Way in the Battle Over the North american free Trade agreement. We re getting there an upbeat Clinton said on the eve of the Climac tic House vote. With the ranks of undecided lawmakers rapidly dwindling an associated press count showed 206 Likely votes for the agreement and an apparent 200 votes in opposition. It marked the first time that supporters edged ahead of opponents though the numbers could change quickly since there were still 28 publicly undeclared lawmakers. With 434 members in the House Clinton needs 218 votes to prevail. We re getting there Clinton said at the White House. I never say there Are enough votes until they re counted but i feel Good  Clinton met with governors at the White House to underline that 41 of the nation s 51 governors support the Trade Accord designed to eliminate tariffs and other restrictions on Trade Between Canada Mexico and the United states Over is years. I used to be a member of Congress said washing ton gov. Mike Lowry a Democrat. I know what it s like to have Tough votes and have votes on confusing is sues. This is not a Tough vote. Naftal is a very Clear Choice. Naftal is the right vote our Economy and it s the right vote for our foreign  explaining her support of the agreement Texas  w. Richards said our Trade has grown to the South and we arc inextricably bound in this Hemi sphere 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 Point hotly disputed by opponents who say . Companies will Rush to Mexico in search of cheaper labor and less stringent environmental rules. Clinton 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. 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 re Gard to party the president said. Acknowledging the political risks for Naftal sup porters Clinton said he had discovered that members of Congress arc literally willing to put their political Ca Reers on the line tomorrow night to do what they think is right even though they re not quite sure their voter agree with them  we re not there yet. This is going to be a close vote presidential adviser David Gergen said tuesday morning As he used separate appearances on lbs and Abc to deliver a cautious but upbeat assessment of Naftal s Chartres. Gergen said the White House estimates conservatively that we re within about a dozen votes. 1 think it might be a Little closer than that. A number of peo ple arc privately committing but they Haven t yet come out  previously undecided members now de Claring their support for Naftal were reps. Joel Kcf Ley a Colo. Thomas c. Sawyer a Ohio Frederick , a Mich. Jamie l. Whitten a miss. William f. Finger jr., a a. Paul e. Gillmor a Ohio Steve buyer Rind. John Bryant a Texas and j. Dennis Hastert a Iii. Reps. Bart Gordon d-tenn., and Sam Farr d calif., had opposed the agreement but said tuesday that they would support it. Rep. Jan Meyers r-kan.,who had been leaning toward a no vote said she was switching to a vote for Naftal. Rep. Alyce Hastings d-fla., who also had been leaning against Naftal said now that he was inclined Towa a support. In a determined Campaign to ave red a bruising Politi Cal 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 s big 23-Mcmbcr House delegation. It s extremely close and Naftal is going to be Rati fied predicted Bill Frenzel a former House Republican from Minnesota advising the White House Onn Afta. Foes of. The agreement said they remained undaunted and claimed at least 223 supporters More than enough to kill the pact. A new step for Freedom president Clinton mingles with religious and civil liberties leaders tuesday after sign ing 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 individual s religious practices. Clinton said the hew Law which passed easily in Congress holds government to a very High level of proof before it interferes with someone s free exercise of  Edwin Dorn the defense department s top official for personnel matters said Inan interview monday night that the jury is from panel still out on whether Black marines fall shorty on any meaningful test of military skill average Black and White scores on i Dividu the one bit of data that is bothersome Al skills Are so narrow that they Are statistic to us he said is that in an analysis of 1993 Cally insignificant said David Banks an As officer selections minorities and partic Socrate professor of statistics at Carnegie ulary Blacks appear less Likely to get pro Mellon University who examined the data moved from Captain to major than Are a it or Luis Attr War cd i marines 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 there is a tendency for the differences to be All in one direction and this is  Blacks outperformed Whites in two skill areas the double obstacle course and radio communication.  Gen. Walter e. Boomer the assistant commandant of the marines said in an interview monday that Mundy 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 we Are making a very dedicated in Vui a  attempt to encourage Young Black officers senior civilians at the Pentagon for their to go into the combat arms Fields. And he part said there is better evidence so far expressed concern that from looking at the that Blacks have a harder time getting pro 3 f rom the Basic school some of Themo Ted than they do competing with Whites Black officers had a More difficult time on Job performance or military skills.  toughened Gay Rule pay raise Clear House Washington a the House has approved a $261 billion de sense budget that endorses a More restrictive version of president Clinton s policy on homosexuals serving in the military and a 2.2 percent pay raise. The Overall package largely track president Clinton s military blueprint and delays Many of the Tough Deci Sions 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 s12 billion below last year s level. It was approved by a vote of 273 135 on monday. The Senate is expected to vote on the package late this week before sending it to the  report reflects a Well Rea soned and prudent approach for fund ing defense programs rep. Ronald v. Dellums d-calif., said of his first military budget since succeeding de sense 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  most contentious Issue of the year was Clinton s Campaign pledge to lift the 50-year-old ban on homosexuals serving in the armed forces a vow the president was forced to aban Don when opposed by the military an Congress. Clinton set Forth a policy of Don t ask Don t Tell Don t 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 Lead ing opponent of ending the ban wrote his own policy which was adopted bythe House and Senate. The Nunn policy says Don t ask about sexual orientation but would allow a future defense Secretary to re Instate the question. It says Don Tell because homosexuality is an unacceptable risk to morale Good order and discipline. The Nunn policy also makes no mention of Don t pursue to Stopwatch Hunts to ferret out Gays. The White House and Nunn have said the senator s policy is fully consistent with the president s  s policy is a directive to the armed services. But Nunn s policy once the president signs the legis lation will be Law. Other provisions of the authorization Bill include a pay raise of 2.2 percent effective Jan. 1,1994, despite Clinton s Call for an across the Board pay freeze. Approximately s3 billion for bal Listic missile defense a Cut of $745 million from Clinton s request and$1.1 billion below last year s level. Earlier this year the Pentagon Over hauled the strategic defense Initia Tive to focus on a limited defense sys tem. Repeal of the restriction on women serving on Navy combat ships in a move consistent with Clinton administration policy. $2.9 billion to assist communities and contractors hard hit by reductions in defense spending. Authorization of $2 billion for Sixc-17 transport planes. But reflecting Congress disenchantment with a pro Gram marked by Cost overruns sched ule delays and wings that have failed stress tests the Bill authorized $100 million for such alternatives As c-5planes or wide body aircraft. $1.7 billion to Complete the b-2 stealth bomber program and removal of the limits imposed on about $2.3billion previously appropriated. The legislation also Caps the program at 20 aircraft and $44.4billion. Cancellation of the Navy s Long Range Carrier based a plane an the air Force s Multi role fighter plane. The decision followed the Pentagon s recommendations on future tactical aircraft