European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 06, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse                                V Friday january 6, 1995 the 104th Congress the stars and stripes Page 5. The Republican revolution the Republican propose changes in House procedures that lawmakers approve wednesday and Early thursday by 416-12, the House voted to reduce the size of committee staffs by one third and reduce the number of subcommittees. Voting against the reduction were democrats Abercrombie of Hawaii Dellum Sof California Hilliard of Alabama Owens of new York Clybur of South Carolina Fattah of Pennsylvania Williams of Montana Collins of Michigan Johnston Hastings and Meek of Florida and Wynn of Maryland. By 421-6, the House approved a truth in budgeting Reform that requires lawmakers to compare future spending requests to real current spending Levels not to current Levels plus estimated inflation.  a. Voting against the item were democrats Dingell and coffins of Michigan Hilliard of Alabama Kennedy of Connecticut Nadler of new York and Waxman of California. " y y i Yyi the lawmakers voted by 355-74 one voting present to limit the speaker to no More than four two year terms and committee and subcommittee chairmen to no More than three terms. The House voted 418-13 to prohibit the practice of proxy voting by committee and subcommittee members. Republicans said that reducing committee sizes and the number of committee assignments for each member eliminates the excuse for missing votes. Y y v.r., by a-.". " , the chamber also voted 431-0 to keep ail committee meetings open to the Public except in _ extraordinary  the Sunshine Resolution allows As a right broadcast coverage of any meeting or hearing open to the Public. In a 279-152 vote lawmakers required a majority or three fifths of the House for passage of any Bill that would increase income taxes. It bans any measure or amendment that contains a retroactive income tax rate increase. Many democrats claimed the super majority provision violated the Constitution republicans for the Sake of political posturing Are willing to trample on a Constitution that has guided us for 206 years said David Skaggs a Colo. Another Resolution passed 430-1. Authorizes a comprehensive Independent audit of House operations. Freshman Democrat Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania Wasi the Lone dissenting vote. " in a general Reform package approved by voice vote the House endorsed such measures a abolishing three committees prohibiting delegates who represent the District of Columbia. Puerto Rico and other territories from voting on the House floor Banning commemorative legislation and eliminating congressional spending for legislative service organizations such As the congressional Black y. Caucus a a  i v a. In the last vote of the night lawmakers passed 429-0 the congressional accountability act that subjects House members and offices to the Sam employment Laws that Are imposed on All other americans. A. Is disoriented democrats take aim at gop image Washington a still divided Over any Long term rebuilding strategy democrats began their unfamiliar works the congressional minority wednes Day by turning to a favorite party Staple Labelling republicans As defenders of the Rich and special interests. The skirmishes served notice that there would be no shortage of partisan conflict in the 104th Congress despite Rush of lawmakers in both parties to Mark the opening Day with pledges of bipartisanship. But the democratic salvos also offered evidence of the unsettling transition facing a party groping to under stand midterm elections that weakened its president thinned its ranks of Gover nors and gave Republic Altis control of both Chambers of Congress for the firs time in four decades. In the House democrats handed the speaker s Gavel to combative conserva Tive Newt Gingrich and took their place eos the minority Side for the first time since the Eisenhower administration. Let the great debate begin,1 said rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri the democratic Leader who led the argument that Republican tax proposals were tilted heavily in favor of the Rich. Gephardt said More than half of Theta cuts favored by republicans would go to families making $200,000 a year or More while his plan would give Relief to families making $75,000 or less. Rep. David a prior of Michigan Gep Hardt s top Deputy framed the new con Gress this Way the republicans will try to take care of their wealthy friends again and we re going to try to Force them Back toward taking care of Middle income  a y Bonior also led the first Day floor fight in which democrats tried to Sully the republicans image As the reformers of Congress.  y. Y a a  democrats demanded that the new House procedural rules include a ban on members taking gifts from lobbyists. Republicans walked saying such legislation would be considered later separate from the House " this in t True change said democratic rep. Rob  the Capitol sen. Thomas Daschle of South Dakota made his debut As the democratic  vowing to push his party s Agenda aggressively in that chamber he appeared a bit tentative in putting it Forth a by. President Clinton meanwhile stayed out of town Ashe Transfer of Power took place choosing to spend a self imposed Holiday in Arkansas where a school was a . Hayworth r-ariz., holds his year old son John Micah on wednesday As he and other House members say the pledge of Alle Giance before taking the oath of office. Dedicated in his name. Wurme House spokesman Mark Gearan said Clinto shared Many of the republicans goals including Wel fare Reform political reforms an end to Federal Man dates on the states and creation of a line item veto for the president. But he said if Republican tax Cut proposals increase the deficit or if the gop tries to go Back on items included in last year s crime and education Bills thence will engage on  in those inevitable fights it is questionable How closely Gephardt and Daschle will work with Clinton As the lawmakers have both pledged to push their own agendas even of they conflict with Clinton s. Recently however both have been full of Praise for Clinton and have predicted cooperation on most fronts. Ates i by the Washington Post Washington the House voted wednesday night to strip the District of Columbia and four american territories of their largely symbolic vote on the floor just two years after gaining it. By doing so the House rejected . Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton s Contention that . Residents Are entitled to representation in return for pay ing $1.6 billion in Federal income taxes. The vote which split along party lines came Only hours after republicans formally took control of Congress and adopted House rules that also abolished the District of Columbia com Mittee. Its jurisdiction was transferred to a subcommittee that will have fewer staff members and less Power. The vote reversed an action taken in 1993 by the democratic majority that then controlled the House. The democrats decision gave Norton d-., and representatives of the four Territo Ries a floor vote Over the Gap s Vehe ment objections. The territories Are Guam the Virgin islands american Samoa and the Commonwealth of per Torino. ". A republicans portrayed the removal of Norton s vote not As a slap at her or the City but As the correction of what they considered a Long standing injustice to them _ before 1993, the delegates had been permitted to vote in committees. The expansion allowed them to vote in the committee of the whole the parliamentary status under which the House debates and amends major legis lation. However if the delegates votes affected the outcome of legislation they were discounted and the House voted again on that Issue without them. Norton said it is her constituents who will suffer under wednesday s decision. On behalf of the taxpaying citizens i represent i deeply regret the withdraw Al of the vote i won on the House floor just two years ago she said in a statement. I continue to believe that the new Republican majority who say their aim is to democratize the House will eventually come to see that withdrawing my vote is at Odds with their own lofty  -. Yin the Days leading up to the vote Norton appealed directly to speaker Newt Gingrich in a last ditch Effort to preserve the . Delegate s right to vote on Many matters that come before the full House. Norton reminded Gin Grich in a recent letter of the District s unique distinction As the Only american jurisdiction whose residents pay Federal income taxes while having no vote in the National  in her letter Norton suggested1 that to vote Gingrich Grant a reprieve to her and to the representatives from puerto Rico Guam the Virgin islands and american Samoa by republicans rejected those pleas saying that what was granted by the House s old majority can be taken away by the new. Just As we have had to learn to be the majority i think the minority needs to learn to be the minority said rep. Tom delay a Texas the House gop whip and a frequent critic of the District. Norton a constitutional scholar and former Law professor hailed her right to vote on the House floor As a great advancement for the District two years ago. At that time democrats embraced a Legal argument put Forth by Norton that the delegates right to vote in com Mittee sessions should also entitle them to vote when the House meets As a committee of the whole