European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 7, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse I Page 8 the stars and stripes . Saturday May 7,1994bid to weaken curbs on lobbyists fails by the new York times Washington the Senate on thursday refused to weaken legislation that would limit the gifts and meals Mem Bers of congresses May accept and abolish free entertainment and travel for rec rational purposes like ski trips. The House in March passed a similar measure on limiting such gifts and meals. Leaders said the Senate will pass its version. If that happens the restrictions and new rules on Public disclosure by lobbyists that have already been approved by both Chambers Are almost cer Tain to become Law after relatively Small differences can be worked out by a conference committee the Senate s legislation would prohibit senators representatives and their top staffs from taking gifts meals tickets or anything else of value from registered lobbyists. Gifts meals and the like from nearly everyone else would be limited to $20 or less. An exception would be made for family members and close friends and lawmakers could accept More expensive meals in some circumstances in their Home states. V in a two Day debate senators agreed that the Public viewed them As being Beholden to lobbyists. But they were divided Between those who argued that they should attack that perception by setting strict rules of does and fonts and those who maintained that changing the Public View was hopeless. In thursdays Cri Ocial vote a substitute measure offered try sem Mitch Mccon null r-ky., and sem a. Bennett Johnston d-la., was rejected 59 to 39. It would have deleted the most strenuous restrictions on gifts and travel. The vote could have been closer. But several senators who were prepared to vote for the substitute voted against it when it was Clear that it would be Defeated. A sponsor of the original legislation sen. William s. Cohen a Maine said that the Bill to restrict gifts and trips would not by itself change Public perception but he added a we Nave a duty to remove As much of the cynicism As a. As an example of the Public View a new York times lbs news poll in 1992 found that 75 percent of adults said the government was run by a few big interests while 19 percent said it was run for the Benefit of All the on assault weapons conference panel negotiations Washington apr a ban on certain assault Stylc weapons must survive tense negotiations on a More wide ranging crime Bill before it becomes Law tempering the euphoria of in control advocates celebrating a razor thin House Victory thursday. A my next priority is to get the crime Bill passed and on the president s desk with the assault weapons Bah in it As soon As we can a an ecstatic rep Charles Schumer d-n.y., said shortly after the House approved the ban he wrote. Y a to get there the Bill that squeaked through the House by a. 216-214 vote thursday a in a Sharp rebuke to the National Rifle association a next must get through a House Senate conference resolving differences in the two Chambers crime Senate crime Bill passed in november included an almost identical ban on assault style weapons. The House crime Bill passed two weeks ago did t mention it. A a a a a a a v a v. Sen. Dianne Frinstein d-calif., who wrote the amendment on the weapons ban said she expected the conference committee to adopt the ban. A it would be a very foolish act to take it out a she said. A a a a a a a a a a. Senate judiciary committee chairman Joseph Biden d-del., said he would work Quot to ensure that this important provision will be part of the final crime Bill that we Send to the / Schumer the ban s chief sponsor in the House said he was t worried about a Senate filibuster if the plan is included in the crime Bill because those participating would be delaying passage of the crime Bill s Many pop Ula features. A a a a a was a Democrat i Hope they filibuster a he said. A it would be the silliest thing from a Republican Point of �.View.�?�. A a Quot a y a / a a a the assault weapons provision barely survived a Senate vote last november before it became part of the crime Bill and it won thursday on a last minute vote switch by rep. Andrew Jacobs a ind. Nevertheless Frinstein predicted Victory even if the provision is subjected to More congressional votes on its own. A a if the Bill Conics Back separate not in the crime Bill i believe we will have sufficient votes to avoid a filibuster a she said. She acknowledged however that it would be a much easier no question a to get it passed As part of the crime Bill. One democratic House conferee however is a staunch opponent of the ban House judiciary committee chairman Jack Brooks a Texas. He led the democratic opposition on the House floor. A in passing this legislation the House has unduly infringed upon the constitutional rights of millions of americans on the basis of myth misinformation and Media hype a Brooks said after the vote. A in contrast the criminals will flout this statute and Flash a deadly smile As they do thursdays vote was another setback for the Era which lost big six months ago when Congress passed the Brady Law requiring five Day Waits and background checks on handgun buyers. Wayne Lapierre Era executive vice president called the vote a just another example of politicians taking the easy Way out rather than addressing the real problem of violent criminals. It is nothing More than pretend crime control that leads to More and More victims people victimized by repeat violent Lapierre did no to say if the Era would continue to try to Block the measure but said the group a will continue to promote meaningful criminal Justice reforms across assault weapons assault weapons Quot a Tauf pud Thun Dary inthe How of apr Rritt Law we Ai future production won Pond of a Tutor Orth big or pop .1 ak-47 soviet Union $ Abou 100,000 have Haeft imported into the .a.a equip we a so round Rota Zirta. A a Ludw it Jet Norico it Tab a Ana Poty / a . A it rec oct us about 200,000 from this Troun manufactured t iold.0mm ammunition and a a 38-round mag tit can had mom. I Dudas Tec-9 and te&2& it or y v a a a a to Tiai steer aim Austria a banned from importation into Hie u,3�?z 0,000 Mai non Wimda taxi. Either a 30 or 40-shot mags in. Banned irom the u.$,t but about 1,000 remain in or Whitlon h a a Quot \ 1 a equipped with a a Mund Magadine can hold a a Quot. Meoa�naofuptol80roundrt y a Quot. A. It a Colt Aims . Y via by a i a y about 400,000 made cured cannot be reimposed ��1 �1 a 1 Cornea with Falve Mund detachable Box Magazine Usu try fitted with a 30-round r Marezine Smth of party for Mare a a a a Uzl Israel a banned in 1093, but about 10,000 from this group Are in circulation. A has a 25-round Magazine can Hoid More. A includes Fri Gat ii Uzi assault note Street in Mph us striker 12 South Africa a about 18,000 manufactured domes Cafty since 1988. A has a Magazine capacity of 12 Shotgun Shell rounds a a includes Usas 12. Mhll/9 . About 100,000 have been manufactured a equipped with a 32-round Magazine can hold More j1 a Lockade the m-10, m-11 end m-12 models. Far thu Nat Louil inc Belgium soft Unstad 9utla�. Flo Kanwit o to to Utu a banned from importation but about 30,000 remain in circulation. A equipped with a 30-round Magazine can hold More. A includes in fal and in Lar. A a Karl Ouda. Eiilwn a Landon we j Cahelo. Sian pc May the a Schumer said the Era remains a a very Strong Force despite thursday a defeat. Quot the difference is that the Public on the other Side is getting stronger every Day Schumer said adding a a that a Why the Era is not going to dictate gun policy to this Congress As it did from 1968 until 1993.�?� a proposing to restructure its care Washington a the department of veterans affairs plans to overhaul its health care system to work in Harmony with the administrations health Reform plan. / but one study says the a health system could. Run Short of Money. Under the a plan announced thursday the department would operate an Independent health care system open to All veterans and would compete with other health alliances envisioned in the Clinton administration proposal. A this plan outlines our strategy for converting. From a system that now serves Only about 10 percent of the Veteran population to one that would establish health plans and compete As an enrolment option for All veterans and their families a a Secretary Jesse Brown said. Veterans who join the a health plan would receive All benefits guaranteed rider the administrations Bill. Veterans with service connected disabilities Low income veterans and veterans who were prisoners of War would receive the benefits package free ? the a now depends almost exclusively on Federal funding. But for the first time u would be Able to retain premiums from higher Init me veterans and payments for services from third parties under the plan. It would also be reimbursed for Carp to higher income veterans Eli Gible for medicare. /. The general accounting office in a report released thursday cautioned that the Plait runs the risk of a serious Revenue shortfall Quot the expanded entitlement to free comprehensive health care benefits could add billions of dollars to a appropriations a said David Baine of Gao. Baine said up to 9 million veterans would be eligible for free comprehensive care. He told the Senate veterans affairs commit tee that if the a does no to enrol enough veterans. To make the plans financially viable a the government might have to subsidize the plans to keep them operational or allow the plans to Trade Center prosecution a i Leges Broad conspiracy by the new York times new York a prosecutors will argue in their upcoming Case against Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman that various terrorist acts dating to 1991 were All part of a conspiracy to punish the United states court papers show. 1. The prosecution s argument contained in a 100-Page memorandum that the government submitted to the presiding judge in the Case for the first time presents a full theory of extremist islamic activity in this country. It contends that Abdel Rahman the Blind egyptian cleric who prosecutors say is at the Center of an alleged plot to blow up new York City landmarks led 13 other defendants m a Mission of a punishing the United states for supporting Israel and Egypt. The trial is expected to begin in september. I
