European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 28, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes . Thursday april 28.1994 by 11 Ickles waste in Washington a legislation that would dramatically alter the Way the Pentagon and other government agencies spend billions for goods and services is nearing floor action in the House and Senate ,. In separate unanimous votes the sen ate armed services and governmental affairs committees on tuesday approved legislation designed to rid the govern ment of regulations that complicate the Purchase of everything from microchips to chocolate Chip cookies we cannot afford the huge costs associated with an inefficient acquisition sys tem said sen. Sam Nunn d-ga., chair Man of the armed services committee. He called the existing Oystein a bureaucratic Nightmare. That takes too Long and costs too  sen. Strom Thurmond , ranking Republican on the committee said the legislation was the most important de sense Bill considered by the committee since 1986, when Congress reorganized the defense department. The Bill seeks to simplify the Way the government buys goods and services in contracts of $100,000 or less. Although those purchases represent Only 16 per cent of the dollars the government spends they makeup 96 percent of the number of contract tit signs Nunn said. Contracts under $100,000 would no longer have to meet a variety of strict procurement rules. Currently the limit for such relaxed procedures is $25,000. The Bill would also make it easier for the government to buy goods off the shelf instead of requiring suppliers to meet stringent standards. The Pentagon accounts for the majority of government contracting. / the Bill already recommended by Cor responding committees in the House represents a revolution in thinking on Capitol Hill. Many of. The hundreds of procurement rules that would be eliminated or relaxed under the legislation took Root in Congress Over the decades when various abuses were exposed. Inthe stars and stripes 10 years ago april 28,1984 president Rea Gan extolled the Virtues of capitalism and democracy to a chinese Audi ence and announced an agreement allowing sales of american nuclear technology to the world s most pop Ulous nation. 20 year Sago april 28,1974 an armed gang led by a woman pulled off the big Gest robbery in Ireland s history stealing paintings valued at $20.4 million from the country Home of Art collector sir Alfred Bent police said. 30 year Sago april 28,1964-president John son in a speech wildly applauded by the . Chamber of Commerce predicted a $30 billion profit for the year by american business. 40 year Sago april 28,1954 prime minister Winston Churchill refused to commit British troops to Indochina express ing Hope that the Geneva peace conference would arrange a cease fire. ,. I world War ii j. "----.50 years ago today april 28 1.9 44 ing Pace my re to dismiss Gay cer nine German. Torpedo boats stumble on an Allied Force practising off the English coast for the Normandy invasion. Three Landing ships Are torpedoed and Many men in the amphibious Force Are killed by Friendly fire in the confusion. The deaths of 749 american soldiers and 197 sailors Are the worst single Day  loss since Pearl Harbor. The massacre is kept secret until the War is Over. Source 2194 Days of War w. H. Smith publishers inc. The world almanac of world v War Bison books corp., 1981 t Washington a the Navy is trying for a second time to discharge an officer who acknowledged his homosexuality a Day after the inauguration of president Clinton in the belief that the ban against Gays in the military would soon be lifted. The Navy has asked it. . Richard Dirk Selland to appear before a Board of inquiry to Tell officials Why he feels he should not be discharged. No Date has been set for the hearing. We re going to definitely fight it again and file a lawsuit at some Point in Federal court again seeking an injunction to Stop the Navy from discharging lieutenant Selland said Hank Hocheimer sell end s attorney. Selland who is stationed in Norfolk va., told his commanding officer on Jan. 21, 1993, that he was Gay. After a four hour meeting Selland was Given a gym bag and told to gather his belongings and leave the submarine. When Selland made his announce ment he thought that Clinton would drop the ban. But the president lacking support in Congress retreated from his pledge to lift the ban and reluctantly agreed to support a Compromise Nick named Don t ask Don t Tell Don t Pur  the Compromise policy which took effect March 1, advises officers not to ask about a recruit s sexual orientation or investigate charges a person is Gay unless he or she discloses it or demonstrates homosexual conduct. Later that month the Navy agreed not to discharge Selland under the old policy. Selland in turn dropped a Federal Law suit he filed against the Pentagon. The Navy now is trying to discharge him under the new policy Selland now a Deputy director of procurement in Norfolk said Many of his co workers and friends Gay and straight civilian and military Are sympathetic. Once this hit some people again came Forward and asked if there s any thing they can do to help so that s Good he said. Caught in bottleneck traffic piles up on a Louisville ky., Highway As Rescue teams work to free three Pas sengers trapped in the Gondola of a hot air balloon. No one was injured in the tuesday Rush hour Accident which happened when the bottle shaped balloon advertising Early times Bourbon became entangled in Power lines. Dod says c-17 problems being gradually solved Washington a the Multi billion Dollar Effort to develop a new Mil itary cargo plane is still beset by prob lems but improving the Clinto administration says. Deputy defense Secretary John Deutch told a Senate panel tuesday that the Pentagon could get by with Only 40 c 17 transport planes out of 120 aircraft envisioned earlier. That option would re Ouire buying commercial aircraft such As the Boeing 747 converted for cargo use. We can live with a mix of wide Bod commercial aircraft and g-17s if we can not go Forward with the c-17 program Deutch told the Senate armed services regional defense subcommittee. But Deutch and defense Secretary William Perry want congressional approval to build at least 12 More c-17s Over the next two years bringing the total government order to 40 and the total Cost to$21.3 billion. Deutch s appearance came a week after the general accounting office the investigative Arm of Congress criticized a Deal Between the Pentagon and Mcdon Nell Douglas corp., prime contractor on the c-17. The Gao said the settlement of $1.2 billion in disputed costs was unfair to taxpayers and Overly generous to the company. Deutch said the Deal would put a vital defense program on track at the lowest possible Cost. He said the Gao neglected to consider the c-17 s ability to deliver oversized cargo such As Patriot missile batteries and Apache helicopters into re Mote Battle zones on undersized run ways. The key Issue is How do we fulfil the military requirement at the lowest Cost to the taxpayer Deutch said. Of Mcdonnell Douglas he said their performance is better. Is it satisfactory i would say not yet but it s certainly show ing  the c-17 program has been beset by technical and managerial problems. The Gao cited shortcomings in Range and payload problems with Wing flaps poor performance on Airdrop missions and glitches in computer software. Mcdonnell Douglas has delivered 11 c-17s to the air Force