The Michigan Daily - Friday, October 12, 2001 - 7A
Congress approves $114B domestic budget
WASHINGTON (AP) - The House gave
rapid approval yesterday to $123 billion for
this year's education, health and labor pro-
grams as lawmakers continued a bipartisan,
if belated, push to finish the year's routine
spending bills.
The measure, almost $14 billion larger
than last year's, reflected a budget deal that
President Bush and Congress struck two
weeks ago. Members of both parties agreed
to withhold contentious amendments to
speed work on a measure that traditionally
sees testy battles over abortion, schools and
other issues that can last days.
After less than seven hours of debate that
saw a handful of amendments rejected, law-
makers approved the measure by 373-43.
The final hurdle was cleared after Rep.
Melissa Hart (R-Pa.) withdrew an amend-
ment that would have barred federal aid for
any school dispensing morning-after birth
control pills to minors. She said she will
pursue her effort in separate legislation.
Most Democrats and Republicans want
to clear housekeeping work so they can
concentrate on countering terrorism and
rallying the economy.
Many of them found further motivation
from the big increases the bill would
bestow on many programs, including ele-
mentary and secondary schools, after-
school centers, the National Institutes of
Health, and job training for workers who
have lost their jobs. Included is $393 mil-
lion - $100 million more than last year -
for efforts against bioterrorism.
Overall, the measure would provide $7
billion more than Bush requested at the
start of the year.
The bill's total is $396 billion. But more
than two-thirds of it is for automatically
made payments under Medicaid, Medicare
and other programs.
So far, Congress.has cleared none of the
13 annual spending bills for fiscal 2002,
which began Oct. 1.
A measure temporarily keeping agencies
functioning expires Oct. 16, so the House
used a voice vote last night to approve a
bill extending that date through Oct. 23.
Quick Senate approval was expected. Con-
gress hopes to adjourn for the year by mon-
th's end.
Meanwhile, the Senate Appropriations
Committee approved its own $123 billion
version of the labor, health and education
spending bill containing similar spending
increases. The vote was 29-0.
That bill would for the first time condi-
tionally allow limited, federally financed
stem cell research. The House bill has no
such provision.
The stem cell language, written by Sen.
Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), would let Bush fol-
low through on his August plan to restrict
the research to the 64 stem cell lines that
he said already exist.
It also would let Bush go further and
allow stem cell research using embryos that
would otherwise be destroyed, if permis-
sion were granted by the people whose fer-
tility treatments created the embryos.
The fate of the language seemed unclear.
Conservatives on the committee, including
Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), said the pronos-
al needed additional discussion. White
House spokesman Scott McClellan said
Bush would stand by his earlier decision on
stem cell research policy.
Critics have said Bush overstated the
number of viable stem cell lines.
Scientists hope to use stem cells -
which can grow into any type of human tis-
sue - to treat Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and
other diseases.
r
BOLLINGER
Continued from Page 1A
matter where as Jean and I started talking about our
future, we came not very long ago to the conclusion
that this was the best choice for us."
Bollinger said the decision to accept the offer
was rather spontaneous but did not come easily.
"It has been a very difficult and very painful
decision," he said. "We didn't make the decision
until very recently."
Meanwhile, Bollinger will continue to steer the
University of Michigan and the many initiatives
he has begun since being inaugurated as president
in 1997. He met with Senate Advisory Committee
on University Affairs Chair Moji Navvab yester-
day and resolved many of the complaints by some
faculty members that he has ignored their
requests.
"There are many things under way that I'm still
going to focus on," Bollinger said.
Two lawsuits challenging the University's
admissions policies are scheduled to be heard
Oct. 23 in the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in
Cincinnati. The lawsuits were filed soon after
Bollinger took office, and he has spent a good
deal of his presidency defending the University's
race-conscious admissions policies.
But even with someone else at the helm,
Bollinger said the University will not waver in its
defense of affirmative action as the lawsuits head
toward a possible hearing before the U.S.
Supreme Court.
"We have laid the foundation really, as a matter
of law and a matter of policy. Now it's up to two
courts to decide," Bollinger said.
One matter Bollinger said he will not be
involved in is the selection of a new provost.
"It is really the prerogative of a sitting presi-
dent to select the provost. So it is really no longer
my business to select a permanent provost," he
said.
Bollinger had been the chair of the search com-
mittee, but the search is now on hold indefinitely.
Interim Provost Lisa Tedesco said she plans to
continue in that position as long as necessary
until a permanent replacement can be found.
"If I'm asked to serve in that capacity ... I will
work with the regents and the interim president or
the president in any way they wish," she said. "I
have every intent of doing the best job I can for
Michigan."
The University's nine executive officers were
all appointed during Bollinger's term. Because
they serve at the pleasure of the president,
Bollinger's successor could choose to replace
them.
Vice President for Communications Lisa
Rudgers said the officers anticipate working with
the regents to ensure an orderly transition once
Bollinger leaves.
Amid speculation over the possibility that
Bollinger may select members of his current vice
presidents to serve in one of Columbia's executive
positions, the executive officers say they are com-
mitted to working at the University of Michigan.
Vice President for Development Susan Feagin,
who like Bollinger is a Columbia alum, said she
plans to remain at the University for the time
being. "My intention -is to go in to work here
every day. ... I have a huge job to do," Feagin
said.
Chief Financial Officer Robert KAsdin came to
the University in 1997 from the Metropolitan
Museum of Art in New York City and said he does
not anticipate a move to Columbia. "I've got a lot
of work to do here, and my staff and I have rolled
up our sleeves and are hard at work," he said.
AP PHOTO
A soldier of a tank division fighting Afghanistan's Taliban rulers guards a
rocket launcher In Dasht-l-Qala, Afghanistan yesterday.
ATTAC KS
Continued from Page 1A
successful campaign so far,
senior defense officials cau-
tioned that the fight in
Afghanistan is likely to be a
long one. One official said the
military plans to settle in for
months, if not years, of
patrolling the Afghan skies and
hitting Taliban and al-Qaida
forces as they emerge from
underground bunkers.
"We will play to our strengths.
And our strength is endurance,"
one defense official said. "We
can stay there forever."
Osman said that some of the
current targets have been select-
ed based on information provid-
ed by the anti-Taliban rebels of
the Northern Alliance. But he
said the insurgents aren't being
allowed to pick targets or to pro-
vide close air support for
alliance forces.
With long-range B-1 and B-52
bombers and F-14 and F/A-18
fighter jets soaring over the
mountains to strike Taliban posi-
tions near the capital, Kabul,
Pentagon officials said the
planes had hit seven targets
Wednesday and six targets Tues-
day, including a Taliban motor
pool, a military radio station in
Kabul, a collection of surface-
to-air missiles and a military air-
field.
The bombers flew from the
British island of Diego Garcia in
the Indian Ocean. U.S. forces
also lobbed three submarine-
based Tomahawk missiles at tar-
gets in Afghanistan, Osman said.
As the bombardment of the
mountainous country already
ravaged by years of war contin-
ued, Osman said the military was
receiving indications that there
have been defections from the
ranks of the Taliban. He said it's
unclear how many defections
there have been.
Meanwhile, an Air Force
sergeant on active duty on the
northern Arabian peninsula
became the first announced
U.S. military fatality of the oper-
ation. The Air Force said Master
Sgt. Evander Andrews, based at'
Mountain Home Air Force Base
in Idaho, was killed early
Wednesday in a heavy-equip-
ment accident.
The Afghan Islamic Press, a
pro-Taliban news agency,
claimed yesterday that U.S. raids
had killed more than 140 people
in the previous 24 hours, includ-
ing dozens in one strike on a vil-
lage near the eastern city of
Jalalabad. At a news briefing in
the Pakistani capital of Islam-
abad, Afghanistan's ambassador
to Pakistan, Abdul Salam Zaeef,
said up 100 people had been
killed.
But so far, the Taliban have
not backed up their claims of
large casualties by allowing
journalists access to victims or
by broadcasting pictures of sig-
nificant damage or carnage.
Rumsfeld said that the U.S.-
led force has taken steps -- not
always successful -- to mini-
mize civilian casualties.
"The United States of America
does not target civilians," he
said.
RALLY
Continued from Page 1A
While most sentiments at the
rally were celebratory and support-
ive, there was also an underlying
awareness of the terrorist attacks
that occurred exactly one month
ago yesterday.
After questioning what there is to
celebrate on a day that marks the
month anniversary of a national cri-
sis, Beth Harrison-Prado, a Social
Work and social science doctoral
student, stressed the importance of
fighting against hate in a situation
like this.
"What we're doing today is
absolutely essential. It is making
headway toward stopping the hate,"
Harrison-Prado said.
Jim Toy, founder of the Universi-
ty's LGBTA office, the oldest at
any college in the country, spoke
about current efforts advocating
two courses of action the Universi-
ty must take.
The LGBTA is calling for the
Board of Regents to expand its
non-discriminatory policies, which
currently include sexual orienta-
tion, to also include gender identity.
They are also demanding that the
University cut off funding to the
United Way, Toy said. The United
Way helps fund the Boy Scouts, an
organization that discriminates on
the basis of religious belief and
sexual orientation.
"We want the University to give
money, but not to people that teach
intolerance," said LSA senior
William Pierce Beckham.
"I'm more confident that the
University and administration may
do something positive about their
relationship with the United Way,"
Toy said after meeting with Presi-
dent Bollinger yesterday morning.
National Coming Out Day was
also celebrated on other campuses.
The Alliance of Lesbian, Bisexual,
Ga'y, Transgender and Straight Stu-
dents at Michigan State University
scheduled a week of events as well,
including a number of speakers and
a demonstration outside Michigan
State's administration building call-
ing for more recognition.
MSA
Continued from Page 1A
completed, but it has not been
approved by the University Board of
Regents.
"This issue has genuinely created
student support, but the administration
does not think it is a high priority,"
Nolan said. "We are the leaders and
best, so Rec Sports should be the
best."
At Tuesday night's MSA meeting,
Nolan said he has contacted regents
about having students represent at
least a quarter of the presidential
search committee expected to be
formed in the coming weeks.
"I think students should be an
important part of the presidential
search," Nolan said.
MSA representatives also want to
BUSH
Continued from Page 1A
nations that harbor terrorists. In par-
ticular, he called Iraqi leader Saddam
Hussein an "evil man" and added,
"we're watching him very carefully."
While the current focus is on
Afghanistan, he said "we're looking
for al-Qaida cells around the world"
- and if the United States find any,
it will pursue them.
Bush spoke at the first prime-time
news conference of his presidency,
but more importantly, one month to
the day after terrorist attacks in New
York and Washington murdered thou-
sands, damaged the nation's economy
and shattered its complacency.
In the month since, the president
has labored to construct a foundation
for an international war on terrorism,
moving to choke off the funding
"I think there's a certain sacrifice when
you lose a piece of your soul."
- President Bush
essential for terrorists to carry out
their strikes, lining up support from
other nations, creating a new Office
of Homeland Security and -- begin-
ning on Sunday - unleashing the
nation's military.
The news conference capped a
national day of remembrance. There
were memorial services around the
nation to remember the more than
5,000 people killed when suicide
hijackers seized four commercial air-
liners and crashed them into the World
Trade Center in New York, the Penta-
gon and the Pennsylvania countryside.
At the news conference, Bush also
said that Syria, a nation often linked
with terrorist groups, had expressed a
desire to help with the anti-terror
coalition. "We'll give them an oppor-
tunity to do so." He did not give
specifics on the type of assistance
Syria offered, but said he takes it seri-
ously.
"If you want to join the coalition
against terror, we will welcome you,"
Bush said.
Asked whether he was calling for
sacrifice from Americans as part of
the war against terrorism, Bu'sh said,
"I think there's a certain sacrifice
when you lose a piece of your soul.
the michigan daily
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