The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, April 19, 1994 - 9 Democrats debate Mitchell health plan WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell sparked fresh debate among fellow Democrats by suggesting ways to make President Clinton's health care plan less costly. The White House said it wasn't endorsing any compro- mises. Rep. Pat Williams (D-Mont.) said yesterday the House subcommittee o e chairs will begin work Thursday n a version that does not include one of the most controversial elements of Clinton's plan. Alliances envisioned in the Clinton plan would pool large groups ofpeople to give them purchasing clout in buy- ing health insurance at better prices than they could negotiate individu- ally. Clinton press secretary Dee Dee Myers welcomed Mitchell's alterna- tives to the president's plan as "yet another sign that things are moving along." And Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D- W.Va.) said Mitchell had "established himself as someone who's going to ram (reform) through the United States Senate." "Mitchell did a real fine job of outlining three different versions of mployer mandates," said Sen. John reaux (D-La.) whose plan would avoid forcing any business or indi- vidual to buy insurance. "I don't think there's a majority of support for man- dates before we move on (other) re- forms." All of Mitchell's alternatives would retain Clinton's idea of mak- ing employers help pay for their work- ers' coverage. They would lighten the Crden by tinkering with the benefit package, the subsidies and the em- ployer share. He got help from senior White House advisers in framing his options for less expensive ways to achieve health coverage for all Americans. Ira Magaziner, the senior White House adviser who took part in the Democrats' discussion at a weekend qetreat, said of Mitchell's suggestions, Lorrie McHugh, a Clinton spokes- person on health, said that although the White House helped Mitchell with the details, "we're not negotiating at this point nor endorsing any specific alternative." Anti-peace plan groups continue bombing in Israel= JERUSALEM (AP) - Amid taunts and loud heckling from right- wing legislators, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin told Parliament yes- terday that peace is closer than ever despite attempts by extremists to thwart it. As he spoke, the Islamic funda- mentalist group Hamas claimed re- sponsibility for another attack on an Israeli commuter bus that left four Israelis wounded. It was the fourth attack this month on an Israeli bus. "Our sensitivity to losses is not a secret, and the terrorist and rejection ist murderers are trying to break us with attacks, with knives, bombs, armed ambushes and car bombs," Rabin said. "But they don't have a chance.... The Israeli people are not panicked, they are not broken ... and more ter- rorist attacks will not stop the convoy of peace." In yesterday's attack, a Palestin- ian armed with an ax and two fire- bombs wounded two Israelis on a bus in Jerusalem's Neveh Yaacov neghborhood before a soldier shot him in the legs. Two other Israelis were wounded by shots fired by the soldier. The Palestinian assailant was hospitalized in fair condition. The attack follows two suicide ,n AP PHOTO Nelson Mandela, right, is campaigning for South Africa's all race elections. Smuts Ngonyama, left, is regional chair of the African National Congress. Buthelezi rescinds demands for e di AP bomb attacks on buses and one shoot-, ing at a bus stop that have killed 13 Israelis and wounded 77 since April PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) - A breakthrough agreement to re- solve South Africa's political crisis appeared imminent yesterday when Zulu leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi dropped his demand for a delay in next week's election. Buthelezi, President F.W. de Klerk and African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela may approve today a proposal that would bring Buthelezi's Inkatha Freedom Party into the April 26-28 election, said a government source close to the talks. Ending the Inkatha boycott would be a key to ending violence between pro- and anti-election forces that has killed hundreds of people and threat- ened to make voting impossible in some parts of the country. "I can say the discussions have gone very well," Buthelezi said after several hours of talks with de Klerk. He added that he hoped to have an announcement today "that might be very positive." One of Buthelezi's conditions for taking part in the vote has been a delay in the election, but yesterday he conceded that ANC and government opposition to a postponement made this impossible. "I don't think there is any possibility of postponing the elec- tion, although I would prefer a post- ponement, but I am a realist," Buthelezi said. When asked if Inkatha could mount an effective campaign with only one week to go, he said, "It would mean campaigning in just a few days. Physically speaking, of course, it is possible." Neither he nor de Klerk would give details of their talks. "I think things are going rather well," said a smiling de Klerk in a separate news briefing. "I think, yes, some progress has been made, and I'm relatively optimistic further progress can be made tomorrow." The government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a proposal to end the boycott had been accepted by all three sides during the talks. The ANC secretary-general, Cyril Ramaphosa, represented the ANC at yesterday's talks and was to present the proposal to Mandela be- fore today's summit. Mandela and de Klerk have for months been trying to bring Buthelezi into the election, but Buthelezi and Zulu King Goodwill Zwelethini have been holding out for guarantees of post-election autonomy for their KwaZulu homeland. Acceptance of the April 26-28 date, coupled with Buthelezi's plan to continue talks with de Klerk and Mandela, were a signal Buthelezi has had a change of heart, perhaps be- cause of his failure to win support from international mediators. A mediation team headed by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former British Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington left the country last week after refusing to take up Buthelezi's fight for an elec- tion delay. Buthelezi could continue his boy- cott and risk total isolation after the election, which is expected to be won easily by the rival ANC. 6. The attacks were claimed by the Islamic fundamentalist groups Hamas. and Islamic Holy War. Supreme Court to consider banning guns around schools WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court stepped into the na- tional debate over gun control yester- day, saying it will consider reviving a federal ban on possession of guns within 1,000 feet of any school. The justices agreed to decide whether a federal appeals court erred when it essentially threw out the 1990 Gun-Free School Zones Act as un- constitutional. The Clinton administration is ask- ing the high court to reinstate both the law and the conviction of a former San Antonio, Texas, high school stu- dent who admitted he took a gun to school in March 1992. Alfonso Lopez Jr. told authorities he was to be paid $40 for delivering the gun to someone else to use in a gang war. Dennis Henigan of the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence expressed hope yesterday the court will rein- state the law. Gun violence at schools has become a national problem, Henigan said, adding that the 1990: law was a "sensible public safety measure." More than 200,000 children carry firearms to school every day, accord- ing to Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis), spon- sor of the invalidated law. Larry Pratt of the Gun Owners of America said the lower court was correct in throwing out the law. rr Thanks to the Because thjs "It's a free country' stuff only goes 0o far. 4-. uSA Business and Edit Staffs of iI J.I, Imta Im m . Your hard work and dedication have made this a successful year.