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Serving the Texas A&M University community
Tuesday, April 21, 1981
College Station, Texas
USPS 045 360
Phone 845-2611
The Weather
Tomorrow
Today
High
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87
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Chance of rain
40% Chance of rain. . . .
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Citizens speak with U.S. Congressman Phil Gramm
. F ffrfter his speech at Texas A&M University Monday.
1/lEramm centered his speech around the U.S.
Photo by Margarita Jaime
budget saying “Reagan is right,” and that it is time
to put the federal government on a budget like
everyone else.
By KITTY FRALEY
Battalion Reporter
America is at the end of a 30-year spending spree and the
bill collector is at the door for the $1 trillion federal debt.
United States Congressman Phil Gramm said at Texas A&M
University Monday.
“I don’t know how much $1 trillion dollars is but the figure
is easier to manage when you understand what it means to
the average American,” said Gramm, D-Texas from the sixth
• district.
What it means is that each person entering the American
labor field is $40,000 in debt another American or someone
living in a foreign country, he said.
The time has come for change, Gramm said.
“The federal budget has only been balanced once since
Dwight Eisenhower left office,” he said, “and in the last
decade the U.S. has lived with the most prolonged period of
rapid price inflation in history.”
The time has come to cut federal spending and put the
federal government on a budget, he said.
Gramm said two ideas exist about the federal budget and
both are extreme.
“The first view is that the government can cut $50 billion in
federal programs without anyone knowing it,” he said. “The
government can’t be so inept and stupid that they think they
can cut $50 billion without affecting anyone. ”
Federal budget cuts will affect all Americans directly or
indirectly, he said, and the sad thing is that the federal
government will spend about $59 billion more in 1981 than
in 1980.
“The other view is that these cuts will burrow into the very
fabric of American society and destroy the so-called social
safety net,” he said, “and that people will find themselves
totally destitute as a result of these cuts.”
The federal government spent $101 billion in 1980 on
programs that were targeted specifically for the poor.
Yet these programs were limited in terms of getting the
benefits to the people who qualified, Gramm said.
Currently 5.85 million poverty families qualify for federal
aid.
“If you were to divide the 5.85 million households into the
$101 billion spent on poverty programs, you would find that
last year the government spent $17,305 on federal programs
for each poverty family of four,” Gramm said.
This tells him two things, he said.
“The first is that we have not been exactly tight-fisted with
our brothers,” he said. “More importantly, it tells me that the
money is not getting through to the people who are supposed
to be getting the benefits.
“It’s (the money) going to people who are not technically
qualified, people who are lying and cheating to get these
benefits,” Gramm said.
Cutting the middleman out of poverty programs will enable
the federal government to cut the programs and successfully
administer them, he said.
“There are 20 million people in America who are depen
dent on state and federal governments for their livelihood. ”
Gramm said. “It amazes me that another 10-15 million would
be as well off or better off if they stopped working. ”
Deciding where to target the federal aid will eliminate this
and make it easier for working Americans to be better off than
those who aren’t, he said.
“My compassion for people doesn’t end with the poor and
those out of work, ” Gramm said. “It also goes out to the
people who are working, those people with aspirations for
themselves and their children.”
Budget numbers bore anyone except for economists to
death, Gramm said, but two philosophies do exist in the
numbers.
The first is to change the country and reverse 30 years of a
clear and consistent movement towards a greater concentra
tion of power and money in Washington, Gramm said.
The second is that there are a lot of conservative people in
America who aren’t happy with the way things are, he said,
and rather than end certain programs the government is just
cutting them.
When people finally look at the president’s budget versus
Congress’ budget and get the facts straight in their heads then
the president’s budget will pass, he said.
“It’ll pass because the people have finally come to the
conclusion that something must be done to preserve this
country,” Gramm said.
6 bills still held in committee
Government to use
-Abortion bills await scheduling collection agencies
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By LAURA HATCH
Battalion Reporter
ie State Legislature is contemplating eighteen
on abortion but only two are out of committee,
lie two out of committee, House bills 1245 and
sponsored by Rep. Bill Ceverha of Dallas, are in
Calender Committee and await scheduling before
House.
ouse Bill 1245 would require the doctor perform-
an abortion to:
.tell the woman about procedures being used and
possible detrimental psychological and physiolo-
affects.
jve the woman a form, drawn up by the Commis-
er of Health, stating the various stages of fetal
jelopment and available alternatives to abortion,
two alternatives listed are services to assist the
en during pregnancy and adoption.)
ignaform, carrying the woman’s signature, saying
first two requirements were carried out.
ie bill was appoved by the State Affairs Commit-
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[he other bill awaiting scheduling would require
|ors living at home to receive parental consent to
in an abortion. The bill does allow the minor to go
[probate court for permission to receive an abortion
he parents deny consent. Those living away from
neand in charge of their own financial affairs are not
jluired to get consent.
The bill was appoved by the States Affairs Commit-
11-2.
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By BETH GIBSON
Battalion Reporter
Window platforms — they provide
xas A&M dormitory students with
e opportunities to grow their plants,
w their solar tea and tan their
Seeking consent from parents for an abortion , is:
already advised, Sally Miller of Planned Parenthood of
Brazos Valley said. “We’ve not been mandated by law
to do so.”
It’s also reasonable for doctors to tell their patient of
the abortion procedures, she said, and most already
do. To require these things is an infringement of the
rights of the women, she said.
Senate Bill 249, one of the 16 still in committee,
relates to certain abortions in tax supported facilities.
Originally, this bill, sponsored by Sen. Walter
Mengden, prohibited abortion in tax supported facili
ties. This would include hospitals and clinics receiving
any public funds.
A substitution was made that instead prohibits the
use of public funds for certain abortions. This would
make it legal to perform an abortion in a public hospital
or clinic as long as it is paid for with private funds. In
the cases of incest and rape, public funds could be
used.
Burt Mires, a spokesman for Mengden, said the
jurisprudence committee was presented with six of the
bills on abortion. Sen. Lloyd Doggett of Austin moved
to send all the bills to subcommittee and was
appointed to that subcommittee, Mires said.
Texas currently does not have any state laws gov
erning abortion and hospitals are not required to keep
records on them.
Parental consent is not required for a minor to have
an abortion either, said Darryl Pool, legislative dire
ctor of Texas Prolife, an anti-abortion group, and yet
they are required to have parental consent before
getting their ears pierced. Abortion is the only medical
procedure that does not require consent of the parent,
he said.
Just about every state has legislation or laws similar
to the bills before this legislature, Pool said.
“In our view there is no reason for any abortion
whether they’re married or not,” Pool said. The child
is alive from the time of conception, he said, and that
child has a right to be protected by law.
The only time a life can legally be taken is in the case
of self-defense, he said, so if the woman’s life is en
dangered by having the baby it would be justified.
Rape and incest. Pool said, account for less than one
percent of the total number of abortions nation wide,
so those cases a very isolated.
The League of Women Voters has not taken a stand
on the issue yet, Terry Hale, Houston chapter secret
ary, said.
Jeanne Saletan, coordinator for the Women’s Lobby
Alliance ’81, said they are opposed to all the abortion
bills in the Legislature. Those who would be faced
with the problem might then turn to other alternatives
such as self-induced abortion or an illegal abortion, she
said.
“She should have a choice,” Saletan said.
Women make the decision to have an abortion for
reasons personal to them, she said, they shouldn’t try
to put it into a law.
United Press International
WASHINGTON — The public owes
the federal government $139 billion,
and the government is going to use pri
vate collection agencies to get some of it
back.
Under new rules, the Justice Depart
ment said Monday federal agencies can
hire private collection agencies to work
on uncollectable debts.
The new rule went into effect Friday
after Attorney General William French
Smith and the comptroller general
signed an amendment to the Federal
Claims Collections Standards.
Until now, the General Accounting
Office considered such activities illegal,
except in certain areas where Congress
provided specific authority to use col
lection agencies, such as with debts
owed the Department of Education.
But the Justice Department said the
GAO reconsidered its position because
of mounting losses.
With the amendment, the rule
allows such action and recommends it
where federal officials consider it
appropriate, the Justice Department
said.
“This amendment is an essential step
in increasing the efficiency of the gov
ernment’s debt collection efforts,”
Smith said. “The use of collection agen
cies should assist significantly in reduc
ing losses and also reducing the volume
of referrals to the Department of Justice
for collection in the courts.”
At the start of fiscal 1981, federal
agencies reported to the GAO $139 bil
lion was owed to the government, and a
$7.6 billion loss was expected. That loss
would represent a 49 percent increase
in the last two years.
With the new rule providing a
mechanism for using private sources,
such as collection agencies, to supple
ment federal collection programs, a re
duction in losses is expected.
“Use of such contractors where cost-
effective and otherwise practical should
reduce such losses, and reduce the
volume of referrals to the Department
of Justice for litigation,” the rule said.
Under the rule, contractors may be
used to supplement, but not replace,
the basic collection program of a federal
agency. The authority to resolve dis
putes and initiate legal action remains
with the agency.
The private contractor also will be
subject to the Privacy Act.
Current federal claims collection
activities involve routine administrative
actions such as locating debtors, arrang
ing for repayment schedules and billing
and posting payments, which could be
provided by private sources, according
to the rules.
But these homemade platforms,
oden boards held outside dorm win-
w ledges by wire or rope, have been
der considerable scrutiny by Univer-
i’officials for the past three years, Ron
;se, associate director of Student
fairs, said. In the beginning, restric-
jns were put on the platforms for safe-
but now University officials are
inking about eliminating the plat-
ms altogether, Sasse said.
No official decision has been made
t, but that’s the way things are lean-
Sasse said.
Sasse said the University first became
icemed about the window platforms
ee years ago because students were
tiding them without concerns for
fety precautions.
They were ridiculous,” he said,
me were so big that you could get a
y of four out there and play domi-
5.”
Sasse said officials agreed at first to set
fety guidelines for building the plat-
s. The University’s loft construc-
n policy says a student may build a
atform outside his window provided it
tends no more than two feet, is no
der than the window and is securely
tachfed. Cooking is forbidden on the
atforms.
But Roger Ferguson, assistant coor-
nator in the North Area office, said the
tforms are supposed to hold plants
and not the residents themselves.
“Admittedly, the policy is vague,” he
said. “But I won’t be surprised to see it a
little more stiffly defined next
semester. ”
However, Sasse said dorm students
don’t cooperate with the present build
ing restrictions and the University can’t
go around checking every dimension of
every platform built.
“So, we’re fixing to draft up some
thing and eliminate the platforms,” he
said.
Sasse said the potentially dangerous
situation created by the platforms is
“getting us into a crack, liability-wise.”
In fact, Col. James Woodall, Corps
commandant, said last fall a cadet fell
In the beginning,
restrictions were put on
the platforms for
safety, but now
University officials are
thinking about
eliminating the
platforms altogether.
out of a third story Corps dorm window
onto his back while installing a platform.
“I think it’s a dangerous practice, ” he
said. “I’m surprised the University has
tolerated it this long.
“Not only do people fall out of win
dows, but things can fall and hit people
on the head. ”
Dr. Carolyn Adair, director of stu
dent activities, agreed: “There’s no way
to make sure they’re built right. If
you’re out there one morning messing
with a plant and it falls off, it could hit
somebody in the head.”
Sasse said the best way to avoid law
suits stemming from accidents with the
platforms was to draw up a regulation
outlawing the practice.
“Before we get sued, we’re going to
zap ’em,” he said.
Ferguson said the platform-building
problem is predominantly with the
Corps-style dorms — corridor-style
with window sashes and casements.
Residents in the Commons can build
small platforms for plants, but the small
window openings do not provide
enough room for sunbathing.
Modular dorms are not involved —
the bottom 16 inches of the windows
that open to the outside would sweep
anything on a platform over the edge.
Nor are the balcony-style dorms in
volved — sunbathing platforms would
be useless for anything but shadow tans
under the overhanging balconies.
If window platforms are outlawed in
general, students would be ill-advised
to try the dorm roofs as an alternative for
catching the sun’s rays.
University Rules and Regulations say
unauthorized entry onto University
property, including dorm roofs, will re
sult in disciplinary action.
Ferguson said maintenance does not
like for students to be up on the roofs,
which are made of a special kind of foam
and can be easily damaged.
Ferguson said this generally has not
been a problem.
A Texas A&M student takes a nap on a homemade
ledge of his dorm. These window platforms have
Photo by Margarita Jaime
been under investigation by University officials and
may be banned for safety reasons.