Voice of America 4/24/97
CONGRESS / SPACE STATION
BYLINE=PAULA WOLFSON
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: MEMBERS OF THE U-S HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES SAY THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION PROGRAM WILL GO ON. BUT
AS V-O-A'S PAULA WOLFSON REPORTS, THEY
ARE SENDING A MESSAGE TO MOSCOW: DO
YOUR PART, OR WE WILL BUILD IT WITHOUT YOU.
TEXT: IT'S SPRING AGAIN IN WASHINGTON.
AND ONCE AGAIN, MEMBERS ARE DEBATING
THE FATE OF THE SPACE STATION.
////ROEMER TEASE ACT////
YES, IT'S MY ANNUAL FIGHT. YES, WHEN
THE SPRINGTIME COMES AND THE CHERRY
(TREE) BLOSSOMS ARE OUT, I OFFER
THIS AMENDMENT.
////END ACT////
EVERY YEAR, INDIANA DEMOCRAT TIM
ROEMER LEADS A MOVE IN CONGRESS
TO TERMINATE THE PROJECT. EVERY
YEAR, HE FAILS.
////ROEMER ACT///
...AND I DO IT BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT IS
THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I BELIEVE THAT
FOR THE TAXPAYER, FOR THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA, AND FOR GOOD
SCIENCE, WE SHOULD KILL THIS PROJECT.
////END ACT////
THIS TIME, THE VOTE WAS 305 TO KEEP THE
PROGRAM AND 112 TO END IT. BUT THAT
DID NOT STOP MR. ROEMER. WHEN HIS
COLLEAGUES DEFEATED HIS AMENDMENT
TO A BILL SETTING GUIDELINES FOR THE U-S
SPACE AGENCY, HE BRIEFLY OFFERED
AN ALTERNATIVE.
///ROEMER ACT////
THIS AMENDMENT IS VERY SIMPLE. ALL
IT DOES IS CANCEL OUT THE RUSSIAN
PARTICIPATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
///END ACT///
THE RUSSIANS ARE 11 MONTHS BEHIND IN
MEETING THEIR COMMITMENTS TO (BUILDING
SECTIONS OF) THE SPACE STATION.
MR. ROEMER MAINTAINS THEY WANT
AMERICAN TAX DOLLARS AS RANSOM.
BUT IT SEEMS MOST MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE
ARE WILLING TO GIVE THE RUSSIANS AT
LEAST A FEW MORE MONTHS TO SHOW
THEY CAN GET THE JOB DONE.
SOME SAY THE PROGRAM IS HELPING TO
KEEP BASIC SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN RUSSIA
ALIVE DURING TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES.
OTHERS -- LIKE WISCONSIN REPUBLICAN JAMES
SENSENBRENNER -- SAY THE FINAL DECISION
ON THE MATTER SHOULD REST WITH
PRESIDENT CLINTON. MR. SENSENBRENNER --
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE SCIENCE
COMMITTEE -- SAYS IF THERE IS A PROBLEM,
CONGRESS IS NOT TO BLAME.
///SENSENBRENNER ACT///
THE DECISION TO INCLUDE THE RUSSIANS AND
THE DETAILS ON THE INCLUSION OF THE
RUSSIANS WERE MADE NOT BY THE CONGRESS,
BUT BY THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION. IF IT
DOESN'T WORK OUT THE WAY THEY ADVERTISE,
THEN THEY ARE THE ONES THAT OUGHT TO
ADMIT THEY MADE A MISTAKE.
///END ACT////
THE NASA (SPACE AGENCY) BILL THAT
EVENTUALLY CLEARED THE HOUSE (BY A VOICE
VOTE -- THERE WAS NO RECORDED VOTE TALLY)
OFFERS A STERN WARNING. IT DOES NOT TERMINATE
RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION, BUT IT DOES INCLUDE NEW
ACCOUNTING AND MONITORING PROCEDURES
TO MAKE SURE THE RUSSIANS FULFILL THEIR
OBLIGATIONS. LANGUAGE INSERTED BY MR.
SENSENBRENNER GIVES THE PRESIDENT UNTIL
AUGUST FIRST TO DETERMINE IF MOSCOW IS
LIVING UP TO ITS PROMISES. IF RUSSIA FALLS
SHORT, THE UNITED STATES WILL GET THE JOB
(SPACE STATION CONSTRUCTION) DONE
ELSEWHERE. (THE BILL NOW AWAITS SENATE
ACTION.) (SIGNED)
NEB/PW/RRM
24-Apr-97 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC)
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