Copyright 2000 The Atlanta Constitution
The Atlanta
Journal and Constitution
September 6, 2000, Wednesday, Home Edition
SECTION: News; Pg. 5A
LENGTH: 675 words
HEADLINE:
Parties' legislative wish lists differ;
Minimum wage, China deals likely
BYLINE: Andrew Mollison, Cox Washington Bureau
SOURCE: CONSTITUTION
BODY:
Washington --- President Clinton and Democratic congressional leaders
outlined a set of election-year legislative priorities Tuesday that overlapped
only slightly with a similar wish list unveiled by Senate Majority Leader Trent
Lott.
In separate appearances as the Senate returned from its August
break, Clinton and Lott (R-Miss.) agreed that their troops should cooperate to
pass a China trade law, the remaining 11 appropriations bills, some tax cuts, a
minimum wage increase, conservation legislation, and a reduction in the federal
debt.
But each firmly rejected several of the other's specific proposals
and emphasized their deep differences over how to provide prescription drug
benefits to seniors and protect the rights of patients served by health
maintenance organizations.
Yet another list of priorities is to be
unveiled today by House Republicans, who will be the third participant in
negotiations that will determine how much work the 106th Congress can complete
before it disbands in early October.
Clinton, Senate Minority Leader Tom
Daschle (D-S.D.) and House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.) outlined
Democratic priorities in the White House Rose Garden.
''What we're
trying to say is that we are committed to breaking the legislative logjam, but
we have to move forward with fiscal responsibility, with responsible tax cuts,
and with public investments that give all our people a chance and fuel our
prosperity,'' Clinton said.
He said the first priorities of the
Democrats are to:
Block ''massive and reckless tax cuts'' passed by the
Republican-controlled Congress.
Reduce the national debt.
Pass a
modest package of ''sensible tax cuts.''
Raise the $ 5.15-an-hour
minimum wage by a dollar.
Approve a ''strong'' patients' bill of rights
and ''an affordable, voluntary, Medicare prescription drug benefit.''
Clinton said Congress also should pass gun-safety and hate crimes bills,
fund the hiring of more local police, strip ''anti-environmental riders'' from
appropriations bills, combat global warming, and earmark education funds for
more teachers and for modern classrooms.
Lott outlined Senate GOP
priorities after a private luncheon with the other Republican senators in the
Capitol.
''I'm concerned that the White House wants to create a mess at
the end of the session for pure political reasons,'' Lott said.
If the
House achieves the two-thirds majority needed to override Clinton's veto of
tax-cut bills that would have eliminated estate taxes and reduced the "marriage
penalty," the Senate will then try to do the same, Lott said.
''We'll
focus the greatest time commitment'' on four other priorities, Lott said. The
four are:
Approval of permanent normal trade relations with China.
Completion of the 11 remaining appropriations bills for the fiscal year
that begins Oct. 1.
Raising the annual limits for tax-protected savings
in 401(k) and individual retirement accounts.
Elimination of ''some
unfair taxes, like the telephone tax.''
Beyond that,
Lott said, he would like to reach agreements on bankruptcy reforms, better
military benefits, a water resources bill, a conservation bill, minimum wage
increases tied to tax relief for small businesses, and education bills with
fewer earmarks.
He said prescription drug benefits should be only for
''the needy seniors -- - not just a massive entitlement program for everybody,
even those that can afford to pay for their own.''
He said tentative
agreements already have been reached on bills to fund schools and roadwork in
national forests, and to make it easier for the victims of state-sponsored
terrorism to recover damages.
Asked about the efforts of House Speaker
Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) to reach a compromise with Clinton on a patients' bill
of rights, Lott seemed skeptical.
''So far it hasn't been possible'' for
Senate and House Republicans to agree with each other, much less the Democrats,
about the details of such a bill, Lott said.
> ON THE WEB: More about
Congress: thomas.loc.gov/
LOAD-DATE: September 6, 2000
