The US
The House was expected to approve the budget accord between the
White House and congressional leaders, one day after the Senate
Budget Committee easily passed it with a 17-to-4 vote. Passage was
expected despite word from an aide to House minority leader Richard
Gephardt that he will not support the accord, which will
reportedly balance the budget by 2002.
Crews of the space shuttle Atlantis and Russia's Mir station
worked to finish hauling supplies and equipment between the docked
spacecraft and Mir. The seven-member shuttle crew and three Mir men
- two cosmonauts and an American - were to have everything in place
by this morning, when hatches between the two spacecraft were to be
closed. Atlantis is to undock tonight and return to Earth on
Saturday after nine days aloft.
A move in Congress to impeach liberal judges deserves to fail,
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said. A group of GOP lawmakers
is pressing for impeachment of some judges on grounds that their
decisions usurp power from Congress and the people. Scalia told
members of the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish civil-rights group,
that impeachment of judges would be overly intrusive. He is
considered one of the more conservative Supreme Court justices.
The Senate seemed close to a final vote on banning a late-term
abortion procedure. GOP lawmakers agreed to minor changes in the
bill and in return received a stamp of approval from American
Medical Association. They hoped AMA support would swing enough
votes to overcome a presidential veto. The changes are reportedly
designed to shelter doctors from overzealous prosecution. The House
had already passed the ban, which provides for exceptions only when
the mother's life is at risk, by a veto-proof margin.
President Clinton was scheduled to launch a so-called Welfare to
Work Partnership in a meeting at the White House. The heads of
Burger King, Monsanto, Sprint, United Parcel Service, and United
Airlines are leading this effort to provide companies with guidance
on how to train those coming off welfare.
Defense Secretary William Cohen was scheduled to answer
questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee about proposals
to close military bases, reduce certain weapons contracts, continue
sending troops to remote hot spots, and otherwise cut defense
forces. A recommendation to hold two more rounds of base closures
was expected to draw the most scrutiny.
US subsidiaries of foreign companies gave at least $12.5 million
in political donations to US candidates and parties in 1995 and
1996, a study by the Center for Responsive Politics found. It said
more than two-thirds of the contributions went to Republicans,
one-third to Democrats. During the study period, 128 US
subsidiaries of 93 foreign-owned companies donated to US campaigns.
Thirty percent of Americans close to retirement have saved less
than $10,000 for the years when they are no longer working, a
survey by the research group Public Agenda indicated. In the poll
conducted for Fidelity Investments, only 29 percent of respondents
aged 51 to 61 reported savings of $100,000.
The threat an oil spill poses to Lake Barre in southern
Louisiana is greater than originally reported. Texaco had estimated
Friday's pipeline spill at about 17,000 gallons. It is now believed
to be as many as 210,000 gallons and a serious threat to sensitive
marshland. The area has been closed to oyster harvesting, and
shrimpers are being asked to stay away.
The scheduled court-martial of the Air Force's first female B-52
pilot was delayed while authorities waited for Pentagon permission
to proceed. Approval was needed because of 1st Lt. Kelly Flinn's
request that she be allowed to resign with an honorable discharge.
The delay came after an unconfirmed report that the secretary of
the Air Force was not inclined to approve Flinn's request in order
to avoid a potentially embarrassing court-martial. She is charged
with adultery, disobedience, and lying. …
