TheMichigan Daily - Thursday, October 4, 2001- 7A Congress nears agreement on terror bill The Washington Post WASHINGTON - Under heavy pressure from the Bush administration, Senate negotia- tors yesterday night neared agreement on a bipartisan anti-terrorism bill as a key House panel put the finishing touches on its own ver- sion of the legislation. Civil liberties groups, meanwhile, warned that lawmakers were over- looking constitutional flaws in their rush to meet the administration's timetable. A day after Attorney General John Ashcroft accused Senate Democrats of dragging their feet, Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee were "optimistic" about the prospect of reaching agreement with the administration - possibly by late yesterday evening - on the final shape of the bill, said a spokesman for Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who chairs the committee. Leahy on Tuesday had accused the administra- tion of causing the delay by reneging on an earlier agreement on several key provisions of the bill, which is aimed at strengthening police powers in the aftermath of the Sept. I1 terrorist attacks. On the other side of the Capitol, members of the House Judiciary Committee were making final adjustments to a bipartisan anti-terrorism bill that emerged Monday after days of inten- sive negotiations. Chairman F. James Sensen- brenner Jr. (R-Wis.) said the committee would vote on the bill sometime during the night in the expectation that it would arrive on the House floor early next week. The rapid pace of the legislation through Congress has alarmed some civil liberties advocates, who suggest that the administration is bullying lawmakers to overlook constitution- al issues that merit greater scrutiny. "People are being told that if they do not sign onto this bill they will be blamed for the next terrorist act," said Jerry Berman, director of the Center for Democracy and Technology, which objects to some of the bill's provisions for enhancing police powers to conduct elec- tronic surveillance. "People are being coerced." Lawmakers say they are taking care to pro- tect civil liberties even as they acknowledge the urgency of expanding police powers to deal with what Ashcroft has described as the "clear and present danger" of another terrorist attack. They' also are moving quickly to strengthen money-laundering laws aimed at breaking up terrorist financial networks. "There is a good deal of movement ... and I'm hopeful that both the counterterrorism bill and the banking money-laundering bill can be taken up, hopefully simultaneously, next week," Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) told reporters yesterday. To streamline the process,. Daschle said he would like to skip the normal step of submit- ting the bill to a committee vote and bring it straight to the Senate floor if possible. Members of the House committee did not seem inclined Wednesday night to make major changes to the compromise bill. But they also aired a fair amount of criticism, some of which Sensenbrenner said he would consider in proposing changes on the House floor. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), for example, said that while he appreciates the need to expand police surveillance powers, he also worries that innocent people could be harmed by the public release of secret information. Congress to ift sanctions on Pakistan Los Angeles Times WASHINGTON - Congress moved yesterday to lift economic sanctions against Pakistan while British Prime Minister Tony Blair prepared to travel to Islamabad, the lat- st steps by the United States and its allies to improve rela- tions with a regime treated as an outcast before the war on terrorism. Blair's trip, tentatively set for tomorrow, would make him perhaps the highest level Western visitor since Gen. Pervez Musharraf seized power in a 1999 coup d'etat. The plans were announced by the Pakistani government; Britain declined to confirm it for security reasons. Before the Sept. I1 attacks on the United States, Blair had been a harsh critic of the Musharraf govern- ent, endorsing a campaign to suspend Pakistan from he Commonwealth, a group of former British colonies. On Capitol Hill, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee agreed to speed legislation lifting sanctions imposed on Pakistan in 1998 after the country exploded a nuclear device and tightened a year later after Musharraf's coup. The measure also would clear the way for a resumption of U.S. foreign aid to Pakistan, which once totaled more than $500 million a year but was ended in 1990 because the country was developing nuclear arms. And in another indication of how world politics seem to ave changed since the terrorist attacks, Russian President ladimir V Putin met with leaders of the European Union and NATO in Brussels, Belgium. They agreed to increased cooperation on defense and security issues. "For some 40 years, NATO and Russia have sat and glowered at each other," said NATO. secretary-general George Robertson. "For another 10 years, we tiptoed around each other. But now I believe that we are entering an era where substantial and practical cooperation is going to build a unique relationship between us." Also yesterday, Secretary of State Colin Powell dis- ussed relations with Pakistan and other elements of the war on terrorism with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the State Department. Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.), chairman of the panel, said the lawmakers urged the administration to take its time in launching a retaliatory strike against Afghanistan, where Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network have their headquarters. BUSH Continued from Page 1A ongress indicated that a consensus was forming. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) sug- gested roughly $50 billion. "Senate Democrats feel that is an appropriate size," he said. "This is deficit spending once again and its very disconcerting to many of us. But I don't know that there's an alternative. We are in an economic and mili- tary and security emergency." Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said he would like to include a tempo- rary cut in payroll taxes to help the 30 million low-income mericans who did not receive any assistance from the tax rebate checks this year. Baucus also suggested an extension in unemployment benefits and tax relief to businesses to encourage them to make new investments in plant and equipment next year. O'Neill said the administration is considering all those proposals. He said the administration also is look- ing at establishing emergency grants that would help governors respond to concerns raised by the terrorist attacks, such as helping laid-off workers pay for health insurance. All sides urged caution to make sure the stimulus pack- e does not become so large that it pushes the country ack into huge budget deficits that could force up long-term interest rates. In his comments in New York, Bush did not dismiss the possibility that spending in the wake of the terrorist attack could put the federal budget back into deficit. He said urgent priorities need to be addressed. Hush little baby volunteer. to read services for students with disabilities volunteer reader program strauss library, 2nd floor, west quad phone 764-0182 call or stop by for information AP PHOTO Sgt. Jeff Purcell spends a moment with his daughter Brittney yesterday in Montgomery, Ala., at an all-American cookout. Purcell is being deployed with the Alabama Air National Guard. GAME Continued from Page 1A same thing that we normally do," Michigan State senior defenseman Andrew Hutchinson said. "Running our normal systems, trying to work the kinks out at the beginning of the year, getting onto the ice a couple times a day." Also important to Michigan State is the preparation of Hobey Baker winning goaltender Ryan Miller. In his sophomore year, Miller became only the second goal- tender to win college hockey's most valuable player award. He had a 1.32 goals against average with 30 wins and a .950 save percentage - an NCAA record. As a goalie, Miller has to adjust to the ice surface, the boards and the open area around him. "The boards here at Munn (Ice Arena) are pretty consis- tent, you know what you're going to get," said Miller. "But there you are getting new boards and there is definitely going to be a bounce factor. I will definitely be out there as early as possible getting guys to rip shots off the boards at me and see how rebounds go up and how they are going to come back."' As one of the team leaders, Miller is trying to go through his life as he ordinarily would and maintain focus, in an attempt to allow the team to focus at the task at hand - playing hockey. But even Miller admits that as Satur- day is getting closer, he is starting to get more anxious about the game with each approaching day. "Three months ago you are being asked the same ques- tions and you are relaxed about it," Miller said. "But as it gets closer your real emotions start coming out and you get more nervous about it. We have to make sure to bring the hockey game and let the fans bring the event." The Spartans may get their first look at the ice tonight if it is ready. This will be the first chance that either team will have to get a feel to the ice on the field. "I think it will be important to feel out the ice, the boards and how the puck is going to bounce off it," Hutchinson said. "It is also a different size ice then we are used to here. It is just about getting used to the surface and the atmosphere, how it could be and preparing for foul whether conditions." With Michigan getting only one practice on the ice before the Saturday's game, an additional practice for Michigan State could give them a sizeable advantage. BOLLINGER Continued from Page 1A development could be stalled. "Major new initiatives are put on hold," Dixon said. "I don't think there will be any new initiatives.... Certainly there will be fewer of them and not on the scale" as the Life Sciences Initiative. While the deans will work to keep Bollinger's agenda alive after he leaves, LSA Dean Shirley Neuman said in an e- mail she is confident Bollinger designed many of his projects in the college to be carried on without him, including the development of the creative writing pro- gram and the biology department. "The University of Michigan will benefit from his leadership for many decades, whether or not he continues here," she said. "The greatness of a uni- versity such as this does not rest on a single person, even when that person is a very distinguished President. All of us - faculty, students, staff, administra- tion - are part of the greatness of Michigan." Other deans expressed mixed reac- tions about Bollinger's decision. Med- ical School Dean Allen Lichter said while many of Bollinger's programs are strong enough to support themselves, the course of other University initiatives such as fundraising, may need to be reconsidered. "The University was in the process of making a major thrust in funding and philanthropy and I think that is always easiest with a strong leadership and con- tinuity at the top," Lichter said. "I think we must assess that entire program as to whether it should go forward now or whether it be held until a permanent president is in place." Another concern voiced by students and faculty is whether officers of Bollinger's executive board will follow him to New York. "The executive officers of Fleming have been great to work with this past year and I would hope they won't be leaving with him," said Michigan Stu- dent Assembly President Matt Nolan. "One of the big things that made Bollinger successful is that he brought in people who are very good in the areas they work in and he allowed them to do things in their areas to make them great. Bollinger's impending departure will leave a significant gap in the administra- tion, made all the more noticeable by the michigan daily Organize Group & Go Free. Free Paries Newis of tm - , FREE Drinks. ' FREE Meek for Limited Time for Detels antd e Best Rates LIFE OF BUDDHA Study Group: Includes discussion of Buddha's teachings and their application in our lives today. Sunday Oct. 7, 14, and .21. 11:30 am -2:00pm $10 inc. lunch. Zen Buddhist Temple 1214 Packard Ann Arbor MI 48104 734.761.6520. SEEKING RIDE/Madison, WI. Weekend trips. 1/2 gas. Chris 734-546-2156 SIVANANDA YOGA classes offered at *ROOMMATE WANTED. $350/month. Includes everything. Great neighborhood in Canton. Call 734-455-0993. 1180-460 t . . m