European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 6, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pago 6 the stars and stripes . Friday slav 6,19942 democrats Back gop health Bill Washington a two democratic senators have signed on to a Republican Bill that would require All americans not their employers to buy their own health insurance. But one of the democrats a retiring sen. David Boren of Oklahoma a said wednesday that he does not Rule out forcing Large companies to help pay for coverage and that the timetable for covering everybody should be quicker than the 10 years envisioned in the Bill sponsored by sen. John Chafee . The other Democrat Bob Kerrey of Nebraska said he took the step to head off a stalemate. Congress wont pass health Reform that Isnit bipartisan said Kerrey and a a it a much More Likely that we can bring dem in the stars and stripes 10 year Sago May 6,1984 a despite offering to Cut $14 billion for conventional weapons from its fiscal 1985 defense budget the department of defense stuck to its guns on the need for a 5.5 percent military pay raise.20 year Sago May 6,1974 a about 42 percent of the people who heard or read about president Nixon s televised watergate speech came away with a less favourable opinion of the chief executive according to a Gallup. Polk Quot a a a a a a 30 years ago May 6,1964 a a twin engine . Army Caribou transport plane crashed in flames after Takeoff from Saigon South Vietnam killing 10 americans and five vietnamese. 40 year Sago May 6 1954 Britain agreed to join Allied talks to consider taking United military action in Indochina if the Geneva peace negotiations fait . And British sources said. 50 year Sago May 6,1944 a a  1,000 planes from the . 8th and 9th air forces and the British Royal air Force concentrated on German defense installations and rail centers across Northern France without losing one aircraft in the allies 21 St straight Day of air attacks. Quot z world War ii 50 years ago today of a May g 1 a 9 a 4 �4 after a devastating artillery bombardment soviet troops launch a Strong attack on the German and romanian soldiers penned up in the port of Sevastopol in the Crimea. Britain s Royal Navy opens a nearly monthlong Campaign against German forces along Norway s coast. In northeastern Burma japanese soldiers repel an attack on Rit Pong by a joint american nationalist chinese Force. Source 2194 Days of War w. A Smith publishers inc. The world almanac of world War if Bison books corp 1881 a of crafts onto the Chafee Bill than ,. Republicans onto the Clinton plan a Kerrey said White House chief of staff Thomas a a Mack Mclarty tried to dissuade him from breaking tanks. Clin ton administration officials said Kerrey initiated the Calls and Mclarty wanted to hear his thoughts. The White House which has a solitary Republican sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont  s Camp said it was glad to see Boren and Kerrey commit themselves to enacting a Universal coverage Bill this year. A a Quot Vav a Quot both feel a mandate is needed a said Lorrie Mchugh a Clinton spokeswoman. Both Boren and Kerrey at times have had testy relations with the White House. Kerrey was a rival of president Clinton a during the race for the 1992 democratic presidential nomination and staked his Campaign on health Reform. It flopped. Boren last week became the sixth member of the Pivotal Senate finance committee to announce his retirement. He is quitting at the end of the year to become president of the University of Oklahoma. Chafee who also has 19 gop co sponsors said Quot when you re dealing with one seventh of the Economy of the United states its absolutely essential that it be a bipartisan  Chafee a plan would phase in subsidies for families making up to 240 percent of the poverty level before forcing everyone to buy insurance by 2004. Amber Nickolas 7, holds the Little toy squirt gun that got her into trouble. Over school Boston a Barbara Nick Oles thinks the Boston school depart ment went too far with its policy against bringing guns into the classroom. Nickolas a 7-year-old daughter Amber was suspended for three Days because she packed a water pistol in her school bag. The 3-Inch-Long Pink squirt gun was a Quot mock weapon a school officials said. Amber also was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation. Quot its All Well and Good for Boston Public schools to come Down hard on guns in school. But for them to sus Pend a 7-year-old for having a Pink squirt gun that fits in the Palm of her hand is overreacting if in be Ever seen it a Nickolas said. / Nickles said she has transferred her daughter to another school she said she wanted to go Public with the december suspension now that Amber is settled in her new surroundings _. A Quot a Quot a a / Judith Prince the principal who suspended Amber said she believes she took the proper action a if its one Small thing that will make them aware of the danger of guns its Worth it a Prince said. Powell says North unfit to run Richmond a. A retired Gen. Colin Powell has criticized Oliver North a role in the Iran Contra scandal saying it makes him an unfit candidate for the . Senate. Powell president Reagan a National Security adviser and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff during the Bush administration said he  support North who is seeking the Republican nomination for the seat held by Democrat Charles s. Robb. Quot it has to do with my assessment of his ability and his conduct Over that period of time a the Ira Gate period a Powell said in thursdays editions of the Richmond times dispatch. Quot because of my understanding of his activities i would not have Confidence in his ability to serve in the  it a North a retired Marine lieutenant colonel was convicted of three felonies in Chafee would require businesses and workers with above average health benefits to pay taxes on them. He would create voluntary purchasing pools for Small businesses and individuals Quot the Chafee Bill can be improved Quot said boreal Quot while i do not believe we can place mandates on Small businesses i do not Rule out requiring employer contributions from Large  he said a Compromise should include Clinton a provisions to bolster academic Medicine and a move More quickly toward Universal  Clinton s embattled proposal would guarantee coverage for All americans by 1998, primarily by making All businesses cover their workers and pick up most of the premiums. . Urged to abolish the Iran Contra scandal. The convictions were later reversed on a technicality. North a opponent for the gop nomination is another alumnus of the Reagan administration former budget director James c. Miller Iii. Republicans will pick their nominee at a june 4 convention Powell who has declined to reveal his political affiliation but has been courted by both democrats and republicans did no to endorse any candidate. Quot in a not sure who i would vote for a Powell said. Powell a resident of Mclean earlier ruled out a run for Robby a seat. North spokesman Mark Merritt played Down Powell a statement. He said another former joint chiefs chairman retired adm. Thomas h. Moorer supports North and Powell a is entitled to his own politics As  Washington a the United states no longer needs warplanes on 24-hour Alert against an air attack and will face growing costs in converting the b-1b into a conventional bomber the general accounting office says. Quot a dedicated Continental air defense Force is no longer needed a the Gao concluded in a report submitted this week to defense related committees of Congress. A the threat of a soviet style air attack against the United states has largely  another Gao report aired at a hearing wednesday cited the rising costs of converting the b-1b bomber to conventional warfare from its current Mission of delivering nuclear weapons. / the Gao the investigative Arm of Congress said the air Force will need $400 million More than expected for the conversion project and an additional $55 million to repair cracks found in the planets Tail. The air Force which has 95 of the problem plagued a lbs plans to make them the Backbone of its conventional bomber Fleet replacing the aging b-52. Converting the by from nuclear use will Cost $2.9 billion up from an earlier estimate of $2.5 billion said Louis Rodrigues a Gao defense expert. The debate Over thcj24-hour-a-Day interceptors centers on a program that began in 1957, at the height of the cold War when the threat of a soviet nuclear attack was a major concern. At its Peak in i960, the North american air defense come maintained 1,200 fighters dedicated to countering soviet bombers. As recently As 1985, the air defense Force consisted of 300 fighters. To this Day pilots at Remote bases in Alaska North Dakota and other locations Are on 24-Hourlilcrt, ready to jump aboard f-15 and f-16 fighters for air intercept missions. The Force is made up of 180 fighters manned by the air National guard. Pentagon officials concede that there is Little Chance fighters will need to meet russian bombers heading Over the North pole for the United states. But the Clinton administration wants to keep most of the fighters and air defense units going on new missions such As drug interdiction and anti terrorism. The Gao says shutting Down the air intercept Force would save $370 million a year. Other air units could take Over the greatly reduced air defense Mission the Gao argues. The administration Pla of More modest reductions would save $37 million annually