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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 1999)
\ Wednesday, November 17,1999 Page 2 Congress to vote on budget cut After veto of reduction in agency budgets, GOP accused of excessive cuts WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans pressed the White House on Tuesday to accept a small across the-board cut in federal spending as the two sides edged to the brink of a near-$400 billion budget deal that Congress might vote on by Wednesday. President Clinton vetoed a 1 per cent reduction in agency budgets two weeks ago, and Democrats have accused the GOP of pursuing mind less, excessive cuts ever since. Eager for political cover, Republican nego tiators have offered a 0.4 percent reduction, and House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., pursued such a cut in a telephone talk with Clinton, who is in Turkey. “I talked to the president last night. He didn’t reject it,” Hastert said. Resorting to gimmickryrbargain ers agreed to delay the military’s scheduled Sept. 30, 2000, pay day to the next day — the first day of fiscal 2001. That plan, described by mem bers of both parties speaking on con dition of anonymity, would save the government more than $2 billion on its fiscal 2000 books, even though the same amount of money would be spent. The hunt for about $6.5 billion in fiscal 2000 savings loomed as the major remaining hurdle to a budget package that would all but finish Congress’ work for die year. The sav ings are aimed at letting Republicans claim they honored their pledge not to spend Social Security surpluses — a contention rejected by Democrats and the Congressional Budget Office. Another possible problem was a demand by Sen. Robert Byrd, D W.Va., to let his state’s coal mines con tinue stripping mountaintops and dumping the waste into valleys and streams. The administration was threatening to veto such a measure on environmental grounds, but was offer ing temporary relief as a compromise. The emerging budget deal would combine five spending bills financing seven Cabinet departments, dozens of agencies and the budgets for the District of Columbia and foreign aid. The other eight measures for fiscal u I don’t think most members have figured out how they re going to vote on it!’ Dick Gephardt House minority leader 2000, which began Oct. 1, have already become law. The White House crowed about winning money for hiring teachers, police officers, land purchases and United Nations dues, as well as GOP retreats on provisions helping die oil, mining and other industries that Clinton considered anti-environmen tal. But at the Capitol, many Democrats seemed underwhelmed as lawmakers returned to the Capitol en masse from a Veterans Day break. “I don’t think most members have^ figured out how they%going to vote on it,” House Minowty Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., saidafter a meeting of House Democrats. / He cited “some real victories” but said the year was ending with “a mixed picture” because of no action on gun control, a minimum wage increase or enhanced rights for patients in managed care programs. House Republican leaders tried to rally their own members to support the package. They boasted about pro tecting Social Security, boosting defense spending, curtailing Clinton’s * spending requests, winning more flexibility for states using federal edu cation funds and administration con cessions on abortion activities over- i seas. “Our negotiators did as good a job as possible,” said House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas. Jackson arrested for students cause ■ In a protest of six students’ expulsion, the . reverend forced his own incarceration; DECATUR, 111. (AP) - Leading a made-for-TV demonstration thal evoked the style of the civil rights movement, the Rev. Jesse Jackson was arrested Tuesday as he stepped onto the grounds of a high school tc protestthe expulsion of six^students for a brawl at a football game. Jackson was taken away in hand cuffs after leading a throng of minis ters and other protesters tc Eisenhower High. He had promised tc force his own arrest to dramatize the students’ cause. i-— Three other demonstrators were arrested, police said. Police would not say who they were and what charges Jackson or the others faced, and it was unclear whether he would post bail or remain in jail. Detective Cmdr. Mark Barthelmey said two officers were struck in the face during the con frontation after Jackson was led away. He did not provide details on who was involved or whether the officers weje injured. v, The arrests came nine days after Jackson’s arrival in Decatur brought national attention to school officials’ decision to expel the students for their part in the Sept. 17 fight. Jackson had indicated earlier he would try to bring the students back to school, but the teen-agers did not approach the police line. “We want the youth to stand still knowing that their parents and their ministers would cross the line for them,” Jackson declared. “The par ents will fight for their children. And that is a good and noble thing.” Jackson inched toward the school through a phalanx of reporters, pho tographers and TV crews holding boom microphones high overhead. At one point, he asked the media throng to move out of the way so he could approach the police line and get arrested. At the law enforcement center where he was held, about 75 people gathered, chanting, “Let the children in, let the reverend out.” Jackson had spent Tuesday morn ing in closed-door talks with school officials but made no headway. An emergency school board meet ing was set for Tuesday night, but school officials indicated they were unlikely to offer further compromises. The six students were expelled after a brawl in the stands at a football game. A seventh student was threat ened with expulsion but withdrew first. Three of the seven also face criminal charges. Under pressure from Jackson and some state officials, including Gov. George Ryan, Decatur’s school board voted last week to reduce the expul sions from two school years to one and to let the students attend alterna tive education programs immediately. However, Jackson wants them reinstated as early as January if they do well in alternative school. Questions? Comments? Ask for the appropriate section editor at (402) 472-2588 or e-mail dn0unl.edu. ’ Bgypt objects to r investigation WASHINGTON (AP) - Objections by the Egyptian government have delayed a decision to turn the EgyptAir Flight 990 crash investigation over to the FBI, a federal law enforcement offi cial said Tuesday. The nature of the objections could not immediately be learned. U.S. officials Sought FBI control of the investigation amid indications someone in the cockpit prayed before the jet went into its fatal plunge, The Associated Press learned. The timing of the prayer - before the jet’s autopilot was disengaged andjlje plane dived from 33,000 feet - raised suspicions that Flight 990 was deliber ately brought down. Egyptian officials sought and got a delay in the turnover, a source said. Earlier Tuesday, two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the FBI would take over die investi gation. “The (National Transportation Safety Board) investigates accidents, die FBI investigates other things,” said one of the officials. The prayer was apparently spoken by someone in the co-pilot’s seat, but it was unclear whether it was die co-pilot, a source speaking on condition of anonymity told the AP. The evidence of the prayer and its timing emerged when information from the flight data recorder was synchro nized with sounds picked up by the cockpit voice recorder, Clinton admin istration officials told the AP. Although the phrase heard on the cockpit recorder was characterized as a prayer, that doesn’t necessarily mean it was related to the cause of the plunge. Arabic speakers commonly make refer ences to God in everyday statements. For instance, the phrase; “inshallah,” or “God willing,” is frequently used in everyday conversation for the most mundane statements. rolitical nvals to aim tor a compromise BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) - IRA promise to disarm. statement by Thursday. Northern Ireland’s political rivals sig- The IRA-linked Sinn Fein party, Trimble, who had sought a fixed naled Tuesday they were determined to which is to receive two posts within the date for disarmament to start, indicated tweak the past year of stalemate, making proposed 12-member Cabinet in Tuesday he would now recognize this conciliatory statements and building exchange, called disarmament “an gesture as providing a “genuine and expectations of an important Irish essential part of die peace process.” meaningful” measure of the IRA’s com Republican Army announcement The emerging compromise, mediat- mitment to destroy its secret weapons In a pivotal concession, Ulster ed by U.S. diplomat George Mitchell dumps. Unionist leader David Trimble dropped during the past 11 weeks, depends upon Ulster Unionist negotiators, speak his Protestant party’s refusal to form a the IRA appointing a senior figure to ing on condition of anonymity, say a key Protestant-Catholic administration for negotiate terms with.a disarmament factor was an assurance that the IRA Northern Ireland - die intended comer- commission. Politicians expect the representative would be the group’s stone of the Good Friday peace accord shadowy group’s ruling Army Council alleged senior commander, Brian of 1998 - in advance of receiving an to confirm this decision in a policy Keenan. - \ ' - ' ■ Michigan 13-year-old boy receives 2nd-degree murder charge PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — One of the youngest murder defendants in U.S. history was convicted of second-degree murder Tuesday for shooting a stranger outside a con venience store with a rifle when he was 11. In a case that stirred fierce debate over how to treat young offenders, Nathaniel Abraham, 13, sat expressionless and looked straight ahead as the jury announced its verdict after 18 hours of deliberations over four days. He was acquitted of first degree murder, which could have sent him to prison for life with no chance of parole. At his sentencing Dec. 14, Nathaniel could get a maximum of life in prison with a chance of parole or he could be sentenced as a juvenile and held until his 21st birthday. Prosecutors said they would recommend a blended sentence, keeping him imprisoned'until at least age 21 and then reviewing his case to determine whether he has been rehabilitated. ■ Washington Chairman trying to block • new organ transplant rules WASHINGTON (AP) - A House committee chairman and at least one senator are trying to block new rules overhauling the organ transplant system, despite a high level agreement last week allowing the rules to take effect. House Commerce Committee Chairman Tom Bliley is threaten ing to prevent an unrelated piece of health legislation from coming to the House floor unless a delay in implementation of the transplant rules is attached to a bill that is scheduled to move before legisla tors go home for the year. Bliley, R-Va., is searching for legislation on which to attach a delay, although the Clinton admin istration has refused to go along with further postponements and is certain to resist* House Speaker Dennis Hastert, following the wishes of his home state of Illinois, is backing the administration, which makes Bliley’s last-ditch effort more difficult. ■ Turkey Aftershocks, rains sweep through devastated Turkey DUZCE, Turkey (AP) - Incessant rain swept through quake-stricken northwestern Turkey on Tuesday, adding new misery to people living without shelter in the freezing cold. The 7.2-magnitude quake hit Friday, killing at least 549 people, toppling at least 300 buildings and leaving thousands of people home less. The earth shuttered violently yet again Tuesday evening, when an aftershock rocked the city of Bolu and the surrounding area. Measuring 4.8 in magnitude, Tuesday night’s temblor was the strongest of a dozen aftershocks during the day in the area. Bolu is 35 miles west of KaynasU, the town hardest hit by Friday’s earthquake. The latest aftershock collapsed some already damaged buildings in Bolu, but there were no reports of injuries. "