Page 10-Thursday .June 12, 1980-The Michigan Daily
Key vote brings
narrow victory
for fair housing
bill in Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) - The fair
housing bill that President Carter has
called "perhaps the most important
civil rights bill'in a decade narrowly
passed a major test yesterday in the
House when a member switched his
vote at the last minute.
The shirt by Rep. Joseph Gaydos (D-
Pa.) gave supporters of the legislation
a hard-fought 205-204 victory on a key
amendment.
BUT THE closeness of the vote in-
dicates the legislation is far from a cin-
ch to pass. The House halted action on
the bill shortly after passing the amen-
dment.
The narrow victory came on a key
section of the legislation designed to
give the 1968 fair housing act a bit to go
with its bark..
Opponents of the measure had of-
fered an amendment that would have
gutted many of the enforcement
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provisions. But Rep. Michael Synar (D-
Okla,.), countered with a substitute
that would keep enforcement intact
with some minor changes.
LIKETHE original proposal, Synar's
amendment would allow the Depar-
tment of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment to file housing discrimination
complaints before an administrative
law judge who would have power to set-
tle complaints and impose a maximum
$10,000 fine if discrimination was found.
However, Synar's proposal would
have the law judges selected by the
Department of Justice rather than by
HUD.
It was on the Synar substitute that the
close vote occurred. Its passage effec-
tively killed the attempt to weaken en-
forcement provisions in the bill.
THE KEY vote came after the House
decisively halted an effort that could
have allowed a neighborhood's racial
makeup to be considered in deter-
mining the value of a home.
Rep. Henry Hyde (R-111.), had offered
an amendment that would allow real
estate appraisers to use "all relevant
factors" in deciding the worth of a
home. Supporters of the amendment
argued that appraisers should be able
to include such data as nearness to
schools and churches in assessing
value.
Opponents, however, contended the
amendment could allow appraisers to
use the race or national origin of per-
sons in the neighborhood as a factor in
their estimates.

JExplosion aftermath AP Photo
New York City firemen search in the rubble of a Bronx dry cleaning store
and coin operated laundry after it exploded yesterday while utility crews
search for the origin of a gas smell. At least one person was killed and 14
injured.
Olderpeople suffer
financial hadship

NEW YORK (AP) - Financial
worries are clouding the future for
many older Americans, forcing nearly
six out of 10 to live a "hand-totmouth"
existence, a study released yesterday,
says.
The study, based on a survey of
people age 60 and over, also described
one-fifth of the over-60 population as
"casualties," unable to cope with
everyday life.
"AGING ITSELF is not a
discouraging process," said Jack
Ossofsky, executive director of the
National Council on the Aging, Inc. "It
is not so important to know how old you
are as it is to know how you are old."
Ossofsky, speaking at a news con-
ference here, noted that while those
described as "casualties"' are only a
minority, that minority represents six
million people.
Seven people in 10 interviewed for the
survey said inflation was depressing
them. Only three in 10 said their
economic futures looked bright. Six
people in 10 said they were under a lot
of economic stress. Even among those
with an annual income of $16,000 or
more, four in 10 said economic stress
was high.
THE SURVEY was conducted by
Research & Forecasts Inc. of New York
for Americana Healthcare Corp., which
operates health care facilities for the
elderly in 11 states. It was based on in-
terviews with 514 people over 40 who
were selected after telephone calls to
a random survey of nearly 5,800
Americans. The survey did not cover
STUDENT NIGHT
SECOND CANCE

the 4.5 per cent of the elderly who are
living in institutions.
Fifty-eight per cent of those queried
- almost six people out of 10 - said
they agreed with the statement: "My
finances only permit a hand-to-mouth
existence." Even more, 65 per cent,
said they were "cutting back on
everything."
The survey-takers found some con-
tradictions. Despite their economic
problems, for example, the older people
generally said they were optimistic
about themselves and their lives.
Pryor's
physieian
optirmstic
SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. (AP)-
Comedian Richard Pryor, critically
burned over half of his body in a freak
fire, was improved enough yesterday to
walk around his hospital room and en-
ter a pressurized air chamber that
speeds healing.
Doctors treating the 39-year-old
award-winning comic and writer
denied that Pryor told them he had
been using a cocaine derivative when
he was burned in an explosion.
"WHEN THERE IS as much ex-
citement and chaos as there was when
Richard came into the emergency room
some things that are said might be
heard inaccurately," Dr. Jack
Grossman said.
Grossman and his brother, Dr.
Richard Grossman, who is also treating
Pryor. said that if Pryor continues to
progress at the current rate he will be
off the critical list in two weeks at
Sherman OaksCommunity Hospital.

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