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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1997)
Agreement paves way for campaign reforms wAaniiNuiuiN (Ar; — Alter weeks of Democratic pressure, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott announced an agreement Thursday for votes by March on campaign finance legislation. That should clear the way for action on other pressing issues before next month’s planned adjournment. “After a great deal of communica tion and discussion and working back and forth, I think we’ve come up with a fair agreement on how to handle the campaign finance reform issue,” Lott said on the Senate floor. Democrats, demanding that majority Republicans commit to a specific timetable for dealing with the campaign finance legislation, had used parliamentary tactics to stall action on all but urgent legislation, such as spending bills for the budget year that began Oct. 1. At the White House, President Clinton praised the agreement, say ing, “At long last, we have an oppor tunity to give the American people the kind of election they deserve.” “I want to commend the entire Democratic caucus and a few brave Republicans whose steadfastness has now produced the first real opportu nity to enact campaign finance reform,” he said. Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle called it “a very, very big victory for the country,” and thanked Lott for “the leadership that he’s shown in keeping everybody at the table as long as he has in order for this to be accomplished.” He said die keys to gaining agree ment were the four consecutive defeats of GOP attempts to cut off a Democratic filibuster on a six-year, $145 billion highway bill. “I think there was a sense that ‘We’ll grind them down,”’ Daschle .said, but the fourth vote “was the crit ical demonstration that we were seri ous.” With the agreement, he said, the Senate can move to such priorities as a highway bill, an Amtrak bill, internal Kevenue bervice retorm and spending bills. The Senate earlier this month debated the main bipartisan cam paign finance bill authored by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Russell Feingold, D-Wis., but Republicans filibustered it to a halt. Lott allowed only one amend ment to come up - a GOP measure requiring unions to get member per mission to use dues for political pur poses - and Democrats filibustered that as well. The McCain-Feingold bill would end the unlimited “soft-money” con tributions to political parties, and it would limit advertising and other efforts by outside groups for or against a specific candidate. All 45 Senate Democrats have announced their support for the bill, as have four of the 55 Republicans. Daschle said he would oppose any effort to bring up the bill before Lott does. McCain-Feingold propo nents had wanted to attach it to unre lated legislation to get a straight yes or-no vote. In the House, lawmakers trying to force action on widely varying cam paign finance measures — Republican, Democratic and biparti san — have gained 183 signatures, including six Republicans, on a so called discharge petition that would bring the proposals to the floor. They need 218, a majority of the 435-mem ber House, and if they fail to get them all before the House recesses for the year, they can pick up where they left off next year. Although supporters are 35 sig natures short of succeeding, they got a hearing on the measures Thursday before the House Oversight Committee chaired by Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Calif. Thomas said there was no need to vote this year, given that most bills covered by the petition wouldn’t take effect until 1999, after the current election cycle is over. Union Pacific wrecks prompt investigation WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Railroad Administration said Thursday it will dispatch 85 inspectors to Texas and other states after the two latest train wrecks involving Union Pacific rail cars. Administrator Jolene Molitoris, speaking at a railroad ing conference, said the move was necessary because an inspection team sent several weeks ago has not eliminated all of the problems. Even after inspectors spent two weeks auditing safety 24 hours a day, “Union Pacific is still experi encing collisions,” Molitoris said. The federal agency earlier deployed 90 inspectors to monitor Union Pacific operations after a string of crashes over the summer that killed seven people. AH but a dozen inspectors have since returned to their regular duties. Last Saturday, two days before a Surface Transportation Board hearing on service problems in the West and Midwest, two Union Pacific trains collided near Houston, injuring four crewmen. A fifth worker was injured Wednesday when two Union Pacific freights collided near Navasota, Texas. “Two collisions within a week is too much,” Molitoris said. “They know'they have a problem.” She said the inspectors will monitor crew fatigue and other issues. About half the inspectors will go to Texas. Union Pacific spokesman John « Two collisions within a week is too much.” Jolene Molitoris Union Pacific administrator Bromley said the company will cooperate fully. On Monday, rail road executives apologized for the service problems and said they were on their way to resolving them by year’s end. Molitoris’ remarks came dur ing a conference sponsored by Traffic World magazine bn a pro posal by CSX Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp. to carve up Conrail and control virtually all rail traffic east of Kansas City. Last year’s merger between Union Pacific Corp. and Southern Pacific Rail Corp. was on the minds of many participants as CSX and Norfolk Southern offered assurances that problems plaguing the West would not be repeated with their acquisition of Conrail. CSX and Norfolk Southern executives pledged to integrate the new routes slowly, saying they would wait months after getting regulatory approval before linking computer systems and adjusting their operating procedures. * Coupon - One Time ONLY Friday, October 31st at 9:30 p.m. IPflmJk IDaoHk HIM® ®ff tiDas MI@xm Special with coupon - $2/person It's Halloween and our 20th anniversary of laser light shows at the Planetarium Bring this coupon for a special treat on us. Our technology of today is light years beyond our first red-only shows. Today we have more than 16.8 million colors. If you've never seen a laser lightshow - join us for the experience. Present this coupon to ticket seller. Seating is limited to 80 for thi* show. Mueller Planetarium is located in Morrill Hall (14th and U. Streets) - UNL /tvttdafce *V<xtley Study iown Come and Tell Us Your Views A DRAFT single package of recommendations will be presented for stormwater, transportation and community revitalization concepts. ■ 4 n One year ago, participants in Townhall 1 set priorities for the central area of Lincoln by identifying for study the purposes and needs of importance to the community. Since then, additional input has been received and a draft overall package developed. The study area includes several of our city's most established neighborhoods, downtown, and the University ofNebraska. > Input is now being received on this draft package of recommendations. > Call474-6311 for more information. Please leave your name, address, phone number, and specify which days you will attend and if child care is needed. For registration through a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD), please call 441-7615. The study is sponsored by the City of Lincoln, University of Nebreska-Lincoln, and the Lower Matte South Natural Resources District. Townhall II is part of the National Environments Policy Act scoping process.
