THE HOUSE

Subpoena in Bad Checks Scandal

By a vote of 367 to 64, the House agreed to submit to a Justice Department subpoena of House bank records for a 39-month period ending last October. More than 300 present and former members wrote hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bad checks during that time. The measure (H Res 441) was authored by Republicans. A competing Democratic leadership measure was rejected (below).

Supporter Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) called the subpoena “a reasonable request for cooperation in determining whether criminal laws may have been violated� at the House bank.

Opponent Jolene Unsoeld (D-Wash.) said the issue “is not a case of a criminal investigation,� but rather “an attempt to open up this body and put it on the plate of a presidential monarchy and to dilute the House.�

A yes vote was to provide House bank records to a Justice Department special counsel.

How They Voted

Rep. Beilenson (D): Nay

Rep. Berman (D): Yea

Rep. Dixon (D): Yea

Rep. Levine (D): No vote

Rep. Waxman (D): Yea

To Resist Subpoena

By a vote of 181 to 234, the House rejected an effort by the Democratic leadership (H Res 440) to resist a Justice Department subpoena of House bank records (above). The Democratic plan was to sidestep the subpoena while seeking a federal court ruling on the legality of the executive branch using force of law to obtain legislative branch records.

Supporter Ben Jones (D-Ga.) called the vote “a test of constitutional principle,� adding that the judicial branch should be “the final arbiter of the separation of powers.�

Opponent Bob Livingston (R-La.) said, “I do not see how we can wrap ourselves in the Constitution and say that we have special privilege or that we need not comply� with the subpoena.

A yes vote was to seek a federal court ruling on the validity of the subpoena.

How They Voted

Rep. Beilenson (D): Yea

Rep. Berman (D): Yea

Rep. Dixon (D): Yea

Rep. Levine (D): No vote

Rep. Waxman (D): Yea

To Fund Space Station

By a vote of 159 to 254, the House refused to eliminate funding for the space station Freedom. This kept $2.25 billion for the project in the fiscal 1993 NASA authorization bill (HR 4364), which remained in debate.

NASA hopes to launch the assembly in 1995 and begin manning the station later in the decade. About $7 billion has been spent toward an estimated $40-billion construction cost. NASA’s original projection was to have Freedom operational by 1994 at a cost of $8 billion.

“This is a space station in search of a mission� at a time when federal dollars are scarce, amendment sponsor Tim Roemer (D-Ind.) said.

Opponent Constance A. Morella (R-Md.) said the $7 billion that has been invested to date on the station has generated more than 75,000 jobs in 39 states.

A yes vote was to kill the space station.

How They Voted

Rep. Beilenson (D): Yea

Rep. Berman (D): Nay

Rep. Dixon (D): Nay

Rep. Levine (D): No vote

Rep. Waxman (D): Nay

Family Planning

By a vote of 268 to 150, the House sent the Senate a bill (HR 3090) to extend funding of family planning programs and clinics through fiscal 1996, at annual levels above $194 million. Debate centered on language that would permit clinic staff members to provide information on abortion, thus blocking administration regulations to prohibit abortion counseling.

“We know that poverty, teen pregnancy and child abuse are closely linked,� supporter Nancy L. Johnson (R-Conn.) said. “Preventing inappropriate pregnancy is critical to our succeeding as a nation.�

Opponent Robert K. Dornan (R-Calif.) said, “The gigantic, multibillion-dollar abortion industry and its defenders in this House . . . don’t understand the passion of the people who believe these babies have a human soul.�

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

How They Voted

Rep. Beilenson (D): Yea

Rep. Berman (D): Yea

Rep. Dixon (D): Yea

Rep. Levine (D): Yea

Rep. Waxman (D): Yea

Source: Roll Call Report Syndicate