Copyright 2000 The Times-Picayune Publishing Co.
The Times-Picayune
July 16, 2000 Sunday, FIRST
SECTION: NATIONAL; Pg. A06
LENGTH: 857 words
HEADLINE: ON
THE HILL;
NEWS FROM THE LOUISIANA DELEGATION IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL
BYLINE: By Bruce Alpert and Bill Walsh
BODY:
Maverick from Monroe
Rep. John
Cooksey, R-Monroe, has never been what one would call a conventional member of
Congress. Take the July 4 recess. Cooksey wanted to go to Sierra Leone, the
beleaguered African country in the midst of a civil war, to find out why neither
United Nations peacekeepers nor British military forces are bringing any
stability to the region. But he couldn't get any colleagues to give up their
July 4 parades, so he took a commercial flight with two staffers on the House
International Relations Committee, and met with government, rebel and U.N.
officials in Sierra Leone's capital of Freetown. He also visited the pediatric
wards of some Sierra Leone hospitals, where he saw firsthand the results of the
atrocities committed by rebel forces, including young children whose arms had
been hacked off. Cooksey came away convinced that the United States has an
obligation to help, but is doubtful much will happen. He lays the blame both on
the Clinton administration, which he says is guilty of cowardice following the
killing of U.S. peacekeepers in Somalia early in the first term, and the
"callousness" of congressional Republicans, who he says don't seem to care much
about the human suffering there.
--- Getting green for urban parks ---
New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial was part of a group of 10 mayors who
traveled to Washington last week to lobby on behalf of the Conservation
and Reinvestment Act. The bill, which would use offshore royalties to
pay for a host of environmental and conservation programs,
already has passed the House. A slightly different version will come before the
Senate Energy Committee on Tuesday. Morial emphasized, during meetings with
White House officials, members of Congress and reporters, that the bill would
provide $125 million a year for urban parks. He said the most important parks to
people are the parks in their neighborhoods, "the park down the street, the park
where their kids play, the park where they work out and exercise, and the park
they walk through on their way to school or work or to visit a friend of
relative." Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., the bill's chief sponsor in the Senate,
said that the support of mayors and governors has helped fuel momentum for the
measure. "We would not be where we are today without the support of mayors all
across this country," Landrieu said. One of the mayors said that the bill is
important because while national parks get regular federal financing, most
Americans will never get to visit Yosemite or Yellowstone national parks.
--- A New York state of mind ---
For a Senate race 1,000 miles
away, Louisiana residents seem to be paying a disproportionate amount of
attention to the New York Senate race. Through the end of March, 14 state
residents had contributed a little more than $3,000 to Hillary Rodham Clinton,
the Democratic candidate, according to the Center for Responsible Politics. And
that was before a May fund- raiser generated another $100,000. Before he dropped
out of the race, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, New York City Mayor
Rudolph Giuliani, who also had a New Orleans fund-raiser, had generated about
$50,000 from 81 Louisiana residents. The new GOP candidate, Rep. Rick Lazio,
hasn't reported a specific breakdown of donations from Louisiana or elsewhere.
--- Spokesman on the move ---
Mark Corallo, the spokesman for
former Rep. Bob Livingston, R-Metairie, who handled press relations during his
boss's elevation as the House speaker-elect, is changing jobs again. After
Livingston decided to leave the House for a lobbying career, Corallo went to
work for Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., the chairman of the House Government Reform
Committee. It was another high-profile job for Corallo because Burton, one of
the most outspoken critics of President Clinton, seems to generate controversy
weekly. Now, Corallo, is to become a spokesman for Victory 2000, the subsidiary
of the Republican National Committee working on behalf of Texas Gov. George W.
Bush's presidential campaign.
--- Vive la free drawings ---
Sen.
John Breaux, D-La., really had something to celebrate on Bastille Day. Dining at
the La Brasserie, a Capitol Hill French restaurant, Breaux Friday won a magnum
of Moet & Chandon champagne during the special Bastille Day drawing. He
quickly shared his winnings with his tablemates.
--- Increasing the
benefits ---
Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, led the Democratic
effort to amend legislation designed to make it easier for Americans to retire.
The bill, which has passed the Ways and Means Committee, would gradually
increase the maximum annual contribution to individual retirement accounts to
$5,000, from the current $2,000 and allow employees to increase their
contribution to 401k accounts to $15,000 from the current $10,500. Jefferson
said the steps were important, but complained that many Americans lack the
finances or employer pension plans to benefit from the current bill. He tried to
get the panel to give workers a tax incentive to increase savings, and provide
tax incentives to encourage more businesses to create employee savings plans.
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