8B
Thursday, March 30, 1995
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
GOP amendment faces the ax
Democrats say limiting terms is unnecessary
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — An idea whose time evidently has not yet come, a constitutional amendment slapping term limits on lawmakers faced likely rejection yesterday in the House, looming as a rare defeat for the Republican "Contract With America."
Speaker Newt Gingrich sought to pin blame in advance on Democrats, who lined up to vote overwhelming against the politically popular measure. "Give us 60 more Republicans next year, and we'll pass term limits," he said.
Yet, after closing ranks with remarkable discipline on earlier items in their campaign manifesto, House Republicans faced numerous defections on term limits.
House to vote on term limits
Prospects look slim for a term-limits constitutional amendment to pass the House of Representatives. Four proposals are under consideration.
"Ijust can't be an accessory to the dumbing down of democracy," said Rep. Henry Hyde, the 11-term Illinois Republican who helped steer other "Contract With America" items to passage as Judiciary Committee chairman. "If this were a trial, I'd call as my first witnesses the Founding Fathers, who directly and unanimously rejected term limits."
34 percent of Congress has been in office more than 12 years
Perhaps redundantly for a party that just lost its majority at the polls last fall, many Democrats have said the amendment was unnecessary. "We've already got term limits," said Rep. Richardson, D-N.M. "They're called elections."
In daylong debate, the House was sifting through four rival versions of term limits before a final vote expected late in the evening. A two-thirds majority is required to send the measure to the Senate.
Three of the alternatives were crafted by Republicans — a reflection of internal divisions; the fourth by Democrats.
House of Representatives Number of members, by year of first election 1982 and
If Congress had a 12-year term limit, current members elected in 1982 or earlier would be ineligible to serve.
The two alternatives expected to receive the most support would fix House limits at six two-year terms. One of them would permit states to set their own limits, as 22 have
'70 '72 '74 '76 '78 '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94
Senate
Number of members, by year of first election 1982 and before1984
'70 '72 '74 '76 '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94
*includes 1970 and before*
States with term limits
Twenty-two states have set term limits for members of Congress.
SOURCES: Chicago Tribune,
Knight-Ridder Tribune
Congressional Quarterly
Congressional Directory,
U.S. Term Limits
done, while the other does not mention states' rights.
The two others include a three-term limit and a Democratic option that would fix a six-term limit but would count previous service against the total. All variations would limit senators to two six-year terms.
After a stumbling start on rounding up support for the measure, Republican leaders turned up the energy in recent days, and Gingrich was expected to deliver the final speech on the House floor.
Several outside interest groups were given the use of Majority Leader Dick Armey's Capitol office
just off the House floor for the day. Inside, Cleta Mitchell of Term Limits Legal Institute said she and others were calling lawmakers and had lined up appearances on talk radio programs around the country.
On the floor, Rep. Van Hilleary, a first-term Republican from Tennessee and author of one of the four measures, conceded in advance that the measure may fail. Still, he said, "We have the opportunity to hand back power to the people. We have the opportunity to end the era of the career politician."
Democrats ridiculed Republicans for refusing to make term limits retroactive.
In unusually personal comments, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., noted that Gingrich was first elected to Congress in 1978, yet now backs 12-year limits on service. The speaker should "go back to Georgia, because the 12-year limit that you want to impose on everyone else has long ago passed for you," he said.
Inclusion of term limits on last fall's "Contract With America" was a reflection of the political popularity of the concept, particularly with disaffected voters like those who backed Ross Perot in the 1992 presidential election. Previous Democratic majorities in the House had bottled up these measures in committee, refusing to permit floor votes, and Republicans sought to capitalize on that point even as they headed for evident defeat on final passage.
There was a tacit recognition that the day's first-ever House vote on term limits was only the first step.
The American Conservative Union aired a television commercial in the Washington area criticizing 63 lawmakers it said opposed term limits, had bounced checks at the nowclosed House bank and had several years ago voted for a congressional pay raise. "Isn't it time to end welfare for politicians?" the commercial said.
While it was broadcast only in the vicinity of the Capitol itself, Bill Pascoe of the American Conservative Union said a videotaped copy had been delivered to each of the 63 lawmakers' offices as a "warning" of what might follow in the 1996 election campaign.
Iowa leaders endorse Dole's presidential bid
"Bob Dole is the right man at the right time," said GOP Gov. Terry Branstad, who took sides in the Iowa presidential caucuses for the first time in his dozen years as governor. "He is an experienced and battle-tested leader."
Grassley, who was with Dole back in 1988 when he won Iowa convincingly but was derailed by George Bush in New Hampshire.
WASHINGTON — Iowa's governor and senior senator endorsed Bob Dole for president yesterday, casting the Kansan as the Republican party's best hope of recapturing Midwestern states that were critical to Bill Clinton's 1992 victory.
But winning the backing of Iowa's top Republicans also presents a bit of a dilemma for Dole, who knows his 1996 Iowa showing will be judged against his 1988 performance. In 1988 he won with 37 percent of the vote, and religious broadcaster Pat Robertson placed second with 25 percent.
Their remarks were part of Dole's strategy to cement his role as the GOP front-runner with a slew of endorsements prior to his April 10 formal declaration of candidacy.
Grassley and Branstad said Dole's longstanding support of family farmers, the ethanol-alternative fuel program and agriculture exports made him attractive in Iowa, where caucuses next February are the first step in the GOP nominating process.
Looking past the nomination chase, they said Dole's Midwestern roots made him the best GOP contender in Iowa, Illinois, Ohio and Michigan — all carried by Democrat Clinton in 1992.
Taking questions from reporters, Dole said he had ruled out announcing that he would serve only one term if elected, an idea he had floated a few months ago. Advisers
The Associated Press
quickly dismissed the idea back then, and the 71-year-old Dole said yesterday he was looking forward to serving two terms.
Deadbeats lose driver's licenses
"There's no doubt in my mind that Bob Dole is most qualified to lead our nation," said Sen. Charles
The Associated Press
Dole also defended his calls for a review of federal affirmative action programs and said it was not inconsistent for him to do so after years of supporting such efforts.
Programs found to be effective should be kept, but those that do not work or foster reverse discrimination should be scrapped, he said.
President Clinton had proposed a similar measure. Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala estimated it could recover as much as $2.5 billion in delinquent payments over 10 years. And the House passed the amendment 426-5.
The threat to the livelihood of the Fort Fairfield, Maine, truck driver forced him to accept a payment plan within a week of getting the letter.
Dole said he thought the fact that he had a perfect, flawless civil rights record gave him a lot of credibility on the issue.
"Taking licenses away from deadbeats is one of the simplest, most effective and easy-to-understand tools we have," said Rep. Marge Roukema, the New Jersey Republican who sponsored the amendment.
The notice to Reynold Kennard was an attention-grabber: Pay up $4,000, more than a year of child support, or lose your driver's license.
While the example of Reynold Kennard points to the potential of such laws, the use of license revocation against child-support deadbeats has been far from simple or effective in many of the 19 states with such legislation already on the books.
Last week's bitter debate on Capitol Hill over welfare reform found one bit of common ground for Republicans and Democrats: A measure requiring states to revoke the driver's, professional and sporting licenses of parents who owe child support.
"We were devastated," said his current wife, Alice. "But how was he going to work if they took his license?"
While Maine got thousands of parents to ante up, other states rarely act on their regulations. The laws are so laden with court hearings and appeals that officials are loath to enforce them.
Iowa's year-old law targeting the commercial and occupational licenses of child-support delinquents has never been used.
"It's just too cumbersome," said Christina Martin, a representative for Gov. Terry Branstad. "There are too many lawyers involved."
Massachusetts sent out letters to 60,000 people, threatening to lift their licenses. But officials concede it's an empty threat. Just 2,000 people have responded; only nine licenses have been revoked.
The use of the state's licensing power to force child-support payments has long been seen as a powerful tool.
"There are so many safeguards that it's nearly impossible to yank someone's license," said Brian Pedro, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. "It's easier to pull someone's cable than it is to pull their license."
zona, California, Florida, Illinois,
Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana,
Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, South
Dakota, Vermont and Virginia.
Nineteen states tie licensing restrictions to child-support payments. They are: Arkansas, Ari
There have been successes. California's practice of denying new commercial and occupational licenses to child-support delinquents netted $10 million. South Dakota got promissory notes from 2,500 people threatened with the loss of their driver's licenses.
But laws were enacted with limited plans for enforcement; Five states simply deny new or renewed licenses, giving delinquents an unofficial grace period of years.
"The No. 1 means of collection is wage withholding, but when you're dealing with people who are self-employed, their livelihood depends on occupational licenses and their cars," said Michael Kharfen, a spokesman for the HHS's Administration for Children and Families.
Other states require so many procedural steps that revocation becomes nearly impossible.
A 1984 Minnesota law, the first to suspend the occupational licenses, required a court order directing the licensing board to hold a hearing. But obtaining such an order could itself involve hearings and appeals. The law has since been amended to eliminate the courts.
Proponents point to Maine as an example of how streamlined laws can work. Maine state agencies have the power to lift licenses in just 20 days. The quick revocation of 40 licenses got the attention of nearly 13,000 child-support delinquents who have paid back more than $24 million.
Colburn Jackson, director of the state Department of Human Service's enforcement division, said delinquents received two warnings.
There is no rush in Arizona, despite a 1990 law that makes some licenses subject to revocation. Although an estimated 60 percent of non-custodial parents are overdue on child support, only a few licenses have been pulled.
Susan Aldrich, a Phoenix mother of three, is still waiting for a way to get her husband to pay years of back child support that total $82,000.
"If I could have taken his driver's license away, he probably would have paid because it probably means more to him," she said.
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LAWRENCE AUTOMOTIVE DIAGNOSTICS
ATTENTION: PRE-MED STUDENTS
PRE-MED CLUB MEETING
Date: Thursday, March 30,1995 Time: 7:00 p.m. Place: Watkins Health Center
Walnut Room, Kansas Union
- Three KU-Med residents will speak and answer questions
Attention Water Skiers
KU Waterski Team & Club Meeting for beginners to competitive skiers Thursday, March 30 7:00 pm
- Elections for 95-96 officers -- anyone can run for president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer
Wrestling Tournament
Entry Deadline
Friday, March 31st
In 208 Robinson
Entry Fee $10 per person
The Tournament will be held on April 4 & 5 in 209/210 Robinson
Sponsored by:
KU'Recreation Services
208 Robinson 864-3546
1-800-COLLECT
Give The People You Call Up To 44%.*
PECIAL ADVANCE SCREENIN BASED ON THE BESTSELLING NOVEL Chris O'Donnell and introducing Minnie Driver
Minnie Driver For everyone who ever thought the person they loved was out of their reach.
Circle of Friends Sometimes dreams do come true.
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Thursday, March 30 8:00 PM Liberty Hall Cinemas (642 Massachusetts)
Pick Up Free Passes at the SUA Box Office (8:30-5:30)