This Week on the Hill

The Senate again will be the hub of legislative activity this week, as the House's schedule continues to be light.

Senators are slated to cast the final roll call vote at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday on the balanced budget constitutional amendment even if, as it appeared last week, the measure does not have enough votes to pass.

BBA supporters have acknowledged that after Sen. Robert Torricelli, D-N.J., announced his opposition last Wednesday, they are one vote short of the 67 needed for approval in the Senate. Nevertheless, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., last Friday held out the possibility of trying to find some compromise to overcome Torricelli's decision to oppose the BBA. In addition, Senate Judiciary Chairman Hatch said he was concentrating on two Democratic senators he was trying to convince to support the BBA even though they previously had announced their opposition. Lobbying by outside groups was expected to be intense over the weekend, especially on Senate Democratic opponents of the BBA who are up for re-election in 1998.

Also this week, the battle over funding the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee investigation into campaign law violations may spill over on to the Senate floor. Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., last week vowed Senate Democrats will not let the committee's probe go forward unless GOP leaders agree to set a date this spring for Senate floor action on campaign finance reform. Daschle laid out three demands to Lott: to set a date certain on campaign reform legislation, that the committee probe have a deadline and that its cost be close to the $1.8 million proposed by Democrats. And Daschle said the probe's scope must include congressional campaigns, not just allegations about the presidential race.

Lott, however, rejected those demands. Lott may bypasses the Senate Rules Committee and bring the committee funding resolution directly to the floor, where Democratic amendments or a filibuster seem likely.

Meanwhile, the long-stalled nomination of Acting Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky to permanently take the top trade negotiating spot is set to go to the Senate floor this week.

Lott late last week said he has gotten a time agreement with Senate Commerce ranking member Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., on an amendment Hollings will offer to a waiver Barshefsky needs to be confirmed. Lott said floor debate on Barshefsky's nomination and waiver will probably take place "Wednesday or Thursday."

Barshefsky represented Canadian timber interests before joining the trade representative's office in 1993, and law bars anyone who has worked for foreign interests from taking the top trade job. She therefore needs a waiver from the law that both houses must approve.

Hollings, who is concerned about the terms of the recently signed multi-nation telecommunications agreement, plans to offer an amendment to the waiver requiring that any trade pact negotiated under the auspices of the World Trade Organization that appears to change U.S. trade laws must be ratified by Congress. The administration opposes the Hollings amendment, and Senate leaders have predicted it will fail.

The prospects are shaky for movement on the remaining major Clinton administration nominees needing final Senate approval.

Those still awaiting the Senate's nod include Energy Secretary-designate Federico Pena, Labor Secretary-designate Alexis Herman and CIA director-designate Anthony Lake. Their nominations have not gotten out of the Senate committees of jurisdiction due to Republican concerns over various issues.

The House, meanwhile, has no major legislation up on the floor. A schedule for this week released late last Friday includes only five suspension bills. No recorded votes are scheduled today or Tuesday, and the House is not in session Friday.

Tuesday's House suspension bill is regarding the 10 Commandments. Three suspension bills are up on the House floor Wednesday. They congratulate Guatemala on the success of the recent peace process negotiations, congratulate Nicaragua on the success of its democratic elections and commend Warren Christopher for his service as secretary of state.

And Thursday, the House is slated to take up the District of Columbia Council Contract Review Reform Act under suspension of the rules.

House Majority Leader Armey last week in a memo to all GOP members pledged that the slow House pace soon will pick up. Armey said it will only be a few more weeks before the leadership and chairmen make major announcements on legislation.

The following is other action expected on Capitol Hill this week, apart from the House and Senate floor activity:

BUDGET/APPROPRIATIONS: House and Senate committees will continue to review the Clinton administration's FY98 budget request this week.

Tuesday, Attorney General Reno is expected to appear before the House Commerce-State-Justice Appropriations Subcommittee. Republicans have asked Reno to bring INS Commissioner Meissner with her for the hearing.

Also Tuesday, Federal Reserve Chairman Greenspan is set to testify before the House Budget Committee. Wednesday, CBO Director O'Neill is scheduled to evaluate the Clinton budget for the Senate Budget Committee.

Secretary of State Albright is scheduled to testify before the House Commerce-State-Justice Appropriations Subcommittee the same day and before a similar panel in the Senate Thursday.

Also Thursday, Treasury Secretary Rubin is scheduled to testify before the House Treasury-Postal Appropriations Subcommittee.

EDUCATION: Education Secretary Riley is scheduled to meet today with the Senate Republican Education Task Force headed by Sen. Paul Coverdell, R-Ga. The senators requested the meeting to follow up on education policy goals President Clinton and GOP congressional leaders agreed to pursue at a meeting last month.

Riley will testify Wednesday before the House Education and the Workforce Committee on Clinton's education agenda. Last week, he briefed the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee on the administration's plan for the Higher Education Act reauthorization.

ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT: EPA Administrator Browner is set Wednesday to testify before the Senate Environment and Public Works Superfund Subcommittee on Senate legislation to reform the Superfund program. The subpanel also is holding a hearing Tuesday on liability and resources issues under Superfund.

Also on Superfund, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee is holding a hearing Wednesday on state experiences with the program.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is holding "workshops" this week on electric power competition and national forest management. The informal workshops are designed to elicit views on these issues in a more relaxed fashion than hearings.

A Thursday workshop by the committee will cover the broad issues surrounding electricity competition. The Forests and Public Lands Management Subcommittee will hold workshops on national forests Wednesday and Thursday.

The House Resources Committee is holding a business meeting Wednesday. The Water and Power Subcommittee Tuesday is holding an oversight hearing on the Bureau of Reclamation and the Power Marketing Administrations. Thursday, the Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee is holding a hearing on proposed changes to the national wildlife refuge system.

FINANCE: The House Commerce Committee Thursday will hold a hearing on the SEC Authorization Act.

GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS: The House Small Business Committee Thursday is slated to mark up the Paperwork Elimination Act, which requires all federal agencies to provide the option of electronic submission of information via new technology.

A statement from Small Business Chairman Talent noted Congress in 1995 passed the Paperwork Reduction Act mandating that the federal government significantly reduce paperwork burdens over six years. Talent said the bill to be marked up Thursday builds on that 1995 legislation.

HEALTH/HUMAN RESOURCES: The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on the Medicare, Medicaid and welfare proposals in Clinton's FY98 budget. It will feature CBO and GAO witnesses. On the same day, the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee has scheduled a hearing on Medicare's home health care, skilled nursing facility and other post-acute care payment policies. The Ways and Means Health Subcommittee plans another hearing Thursday on Medicare's HMO regulation and quality.

Wednesday, the Senate Finance panel has a hearing at which providers will testify on Clinton's Medicare proposals.

JUDICIARY: The Senate Commerce Committee this week opens the debate on product liability reform legislation with two hearings.

Tuesday, the committee will hear from witnesses who will talk about product liability in general, their support or opposition for reform legislation, and a Senate reform bill, S.5.

Thursday, the committee will hear testimony on General Aviation Revitalization Act, which was signed by Clinton in 1994. It established a time limit for general aviation manufacturers' liability on aircraft with fewer than 19 seats.

LABOR: The Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee Wednesday will resume markup of the TEAM Act. Chairman Jeffords had to suspend the markup twice last week due to a lack of a quorum for amendments.

Jeffords last Friday said his goal is finish the TEAM bill Wednesday, then move to the compensatory time bill if there is enough time, but "with the understanding that it probably won't be completed." Jeffords is waiting to vote on several sub-Cabinet administration and independent board nominees until the comp time bill is completed.

In addition, the House Education and the Workforce Committee will begin marking up its comp time bill Wednesday.

The House and Senate bills would allow workers to choose comp time off instead of additional pay for overtime work. But the Senate bill also would allow employers and employees to negotiate a schedule of 80 hours of work over a two-week period, instead of just 40 hours over a one-week period.

The Clinton Administration last week threatened to veto the Senate bill, and is preparing a letter threatening a veto of the House bill, saying it does not adequately protect workers from being coerced by employers to take comp time instead of overtime pay. The administration also wants any comp time bill to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to allow time off for educational purposes.

On another front, federal job training programs will be the focus of a House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Jeffords Friday will speak to the National Conference of State Legislatures about his committee's agenda for the 105th Congress.

TAXES: The full House Ways and Means Committee has a hearing Wednesday on the education and training tax plan in Clinton's FY98 budget.

Thursday, the Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee will hold the first in a series of planned hearings on the future of Social Security. The session will focus on the report of the 1994-96 Advisory Council on Social Security.

Also Thursday, the full Senate Finance Committee has scheduled a hearing on expanding tax-favored individual retirement accounts.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS: The U.S. Telephone Association's National Issues Conference Thursday features a slate of congressional speakers, including members and staff.

They include House Commerce Trade Subcommittee Chairman Michael Oxley, R-Ohio, House Commerce Telecommunications Subcommittee Chairman W.J. (Billy) Tauzin, R-La., Reps. Rick Boucher, D-Va., and Bob Barr, R-Ga., and staff from the House and Senate Commerce committees.

TRANSPORTATION: House members Tuesday and Thursday will testify before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee about their requests for transportation projects and policy changes they want included in this year's reauthorization of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act.

Members turned in those requests to the committee last week. The policy changes sought by House members range from issues regarding cell phone use to truck weights.

ISTEA, and innovative transportation technology and funding, also will be the subject of a Thursday hearing by the Senate Environment and Public Works Transportation Subcommittee.

Transportation Secretary Slater is scheduled to testify Tuesday before the House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee about the administration's FY98 budget plan.

Wednesday, the Senate Commerce Committee will hear testimony about recommendations contained in Vice President Gore's Commission on Aviation Safety released last month.

The report included recommendations for reducing fatal accidents, upgrading air traffic control systems and spending more federal resources on security measures. Commerce Chairman McCain has complained the administration's budget proposal cuts funding for the items the Gore report says are needed to improve aviation safety.