European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 19, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes . Thursday. January 19,1995 Gingrich contract spurs House fight Washington a in a raw display of partisanship lawmakers clashed wednesday on the House floor As democrats pressed their attack on speaker Newt Gingrich a Book contract and re publicans sprang to his defense. On a party line Roll Call of 217-178, the House voted to strike from the record comments made by rep. Carrie Meek a Fla a now More than Ever the per caption of impropriety not to mention the potential conflict of interest still exist and cannot be ignored a she had said. A a Quot v a in an angry often chaotic debate that followed democrats said republicans were imposing a a gag rules in their first Days in Power after 40 years in the minority. Quot a a a a a the other Side of the aisle is trying a very tactic they can to Stop the contract with America a countered rep. Tom delay of Texas the third ranking member of the gop leadership. The clash erupted moments after Gin Frich joined by Senate majority Leader lob Dole had proudly displayed a bound copy of the first Law to pass tinder the new Republican majority a measure placing Congress under the same workplace Laws As the rest of the country. A a it a Only the first step Quot said Dole As he and Gingrich pledged to press ahead with the balance of their conservative 92 and still going Strong Strom Thurmond at 92 the oldest member of the Senate Bangs a Gavel tuesday to open a hearing of the Senate armed services committee. The Veteran South Carolina lawmaker became chairman of the panel when the republicans took control of the Senate last november. Washington a the Christian coalition says it will spend $1 million to promote the House Republican Agenda. The groups 50 state directors Are being brought to Washington to lobby for passage of the balanced budget amendment As part of the Effort. The coalition was a major organizing Force in last years Republican midterm rout and claims More than 1 million members and supporters nationwide. Washington a the Republican controlled Congress sent its first Bill to president Clinton on tuesday when the House gave final approval to a measure requiring Congress to live by the Laws it imposes on other employers. The House voted 390-0 in favor of the More detailed Senate version of a Bill the House itself had passed in a frenzied opening Day session. Forty five members did not vote. Republicans had sought to get a Bill to Clinton before his state of the Union address next week. A it is about time that Congress lived by the same Laws it places on the private  Tor a Clinton said of the Bill which extends Federal workplace protections to some 34,000 employees of Congress and related agencies. He called the measure a Only a first step in what must be a much greater Effort to change business As usual in  House speaker Newt Gingrich said during a news conference that he believed it was the earliest Congress had sent a Bill to the president since 1933. That year the emergency banking act was introduced debated adopted and sent to president Franklin d. Roosevelt on opening Day of the session As the nation struggled through the great do Agenda a including the balanced budget amendment to the Constitution a despite democratic delaying tactics and opposition. After a delay tuesday caused by a democratic opponent sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia the Senate judiciary committee resumed work on the balanced budget amendment brushing aside several democratic amendments designed to weaken it Dole said if Byrd persisted in his objections the panel would meet All night to Complete work on the measure. The scene on the House floor was easily the most chaotic since lawmakers con vend two weeks ago under Republican control for the first time in four decades. The vote to strike Meek a comments was unusual particularly because she is one of numerous democrats to use the floor to question Gingrich a Deal with Harper Collins and the subsequent disclosure that he met with Rupert Murdoch owner of the company and his chief lobbyist. V a v a a a  a a a As for the balanced budget amendment sen Orrin Hatch a Utah the committee chairman thanked senators for showing up for the 8 30 , session but made no mention of the move tuesday by Byrd d-w.va., to interrupt of forts to vote on the constitutional amendment. A a. A a a a a a a a a a while its policy Agenda includes school prayer and a constitutional amendment prohibiting abortion the coalitions executive director Ralph Reed said tuesday that the organization will focus in the Short term on pushing the House republicans contract with America. The contract includes other items High on the Christian coalition Agenda including welfare Reform  Breaks for families with children. Pression. In its final form the congressional accountability act applies 11 workplace safety and labor Laws to the Congress. They include the fair labor standards act of 1938, the civil rights act of 1964, the americans with disabilities act of 1990, the age discrimination in employ mint act of 1967, the family and medical leave act of 1993, the Federal labor management relations act of 1978, the occupational safety and health act of 1970, the rehabilitation act of 1973, the worker adjustment and retraining notification act of 1988, the employee polygraph Protection act of 1983 and the veterans re employment act. Some members objected that the Bill did not include a provision prohibiting House members from cashing in for personal vacations airline frequent flick Miles gained on official trips. But rep. Christopher Shays r-conn., said the Issue was not Central to the Bill a intent. In other action the House adopted a Resolution allowing House staffers who lost their jobs because of the Republican takeover to be paid for unused vacation time. Under terms of the Resolution those fired after last dec. 31 and before july 1 can be paid Sot up to 30 Days of accrued leave . Carolina Senate expels convicted lawmaker Columbia , apr a Veteran legislator in prison for tax Law violations was expelled from the state Senate on tuesday. State sen. Theo Mitchells attorney Suzanne Coe said she would Challenge the action because the Greenville Democrat had no Chance to defend himself before the Senate voted 38-7 to remove him. Mitchell is serving a 90-Day sentence for failing to report Cash transactions to the government a Misdemeanour. He is expected to be released from a Federal prison Camp near Atlanta later this month. His supporters said the Senate should wait until he could return to the legislature to defend himself. Critics said he should be removed because he pleaded guilty. Quot senator Mitchell has had his Day in court a said Republican sen. Greg Ryberg who had earlier asked Mitchell to resign. A the future of our slate is based on the political integrity of our government and its elected  Mitchell 56, considered the resignation request Over the weekend and rejected it. He said republicans who pushed for his expulsion were racially biased ant wanted his seat As chairman of the Senate correction committee Mitchell has been a state legislator for 20 years ant was the first Black to run for governor of South Carolina this Century losing in 1990 to Republican Carrol Campbell. He pleaded guilty last fall to failing to Tell the inter Nal Revenue service about $154,000 in Cash trans actions he handled on behalf of a client later convict let of dealing drugs