From: sangu@igc.apc.org (David Sangurima)
Newsgroups: alt.activism
Subject: TORRICELLI BILL PASSES HOUSE
Date: 26 Sep 92 02:59:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1296500380:000:4005
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!sangu    Sep 25 19:59:00 1992


From: David Sangurima <sangu>
Subject: TORRICELLI BILL PASSES HOUSE

/* Written 12:34 am  Sep 25, 1992 by slandau in cdp:reg.cuba */
/* ---------- "TORRICELLI BILL PASSES HOUSE" ---------- */
Oy 

                    Cuban American Committee
                   Research and Education Fund
                 1601 Connecticut Avenue NW #500
                      Washington, DC 20009

                       September 24, 1992

         UPDATE ON THE TORRICELLI BILL (HR 5323, S 2918)

Senate

On Friday, September 18, 1992, Senator Graham (D-FL) offered the
entire Cuban Democracy Act as an amendment to the Department of
Defense Authorization (DOD) Bill on the floor of the Senate. 
Senator Dodd (D-CT) attempted to amend the bill to give the
President discretionary authority over the entire bill but was not
able to garner sufficient support from other Senators.  Dodd then
moved to "table"  the amendment until a future date but this motion
was defeated by a vote of 61-24 with 15 not voting.  The entire
amendment was then agreed to on a voice vote.  Therefore the only
record of voting is how Senators voted on Dodd's tabling amendment. 

The entire Department of Defense Authorization bill was then passed
by the Senate and sent to a conference committee with the House
version of the bill.  The House version does not contain the Cuban
Democracy Act, but the House conferees will most probably agree to
having the amendment included in the final version of the bill.  It
is not necessary for a bill to pass both Houses of Congress in
order to be sent to the President.  As long as the conferees on
both sides agree on its inclusion, the bill is then sent back to
both Houses for a vote and if approved sent to the President for a
signature or veto.  We expect the conferees to agree on inclusion
of the Cuban Democracy Act.  A conference report will be issued
within the next week and sent back to both House and Senate for a
final vote.  We expect the bill in its entirety to be approved and
signed by the President within the next few weeks.  

A slight possibility exists that the bill could be vetoed by the
President over other provisions not related to the Cuban Democracy
Act, but this is not likely at this writing.  It is also possible,
but highly unlikely, that the House conferees to the bill would
object to it's inclusion in the DOD.  However, given the
affirmative vote by the full House today, this scenario is highly
unlikely.

House

Representative Torricelli removed a tax deduction provision in the
bill on September 16th therefore removing it from the jurisdiction
of the Ways and Means Committee.  Torricelli then asked the Speaker
Foley to place the bill under suspension of calendar vote for the
23rd of September.  Under suspension of calendar, the bill is not
sent to the Rules Committee but sent straight to the floor.  Under
these rules, no amendments are allowed and only 40 minutes of
debate are permitted.  A two-thirds majority of those voting is
required for passage under a suspension of calendar. 
Representative Rangel (D-NY) led a spirited opposition to the bill
on the floor and should be thanked for his efforts. 
Representatives Serrano (D-NY), Johnson (R-CT), and Bereuter (R-NE)
also spoke out in opposition the bill.  It should be noted that
Governor Bill Clinton issued a press statement this week urging
passage of the bill.  The bill was passed by a roll call vote on
September 24th by a 276-135 margin with 1 person voting present. 
This achieved a two-thirds majority by 1/2 of a vote.  

The House bill is not expected to go to conference because it does
not have a Senate counterpart as a free-standing bill.  This vote
will merely show the conferees on the DOD bill that even though
this bill is not in the House version, that it is supported by a
clear majority of the House of Representatives.  To clarify, the
bill contained as an amendment to the Department of Defense
Authorization bill is the language that is expected to become law.