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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 9, 1985)
r7 IJVTEKURJBAiV loin usWednesdaynights for frozen margaritas! Only ONE DOLLAR from 9:00 pm until closing. The INTERURBAN 505 University Dr. "an aggie tradition" CONTACT LENSES $79 0<l pr.* - daily wear soft lenses 100 $99'- pr.* - extended wear soft lenses $119 00 pr.* - tinted soft lenses CALL FOR APPOINTMENT OPEN MONDAY THRU SATURDAY CHARLES C. SCHROEPPEL,O.D.,P.C. DOCTOR OF OPTOMETRY 707 SOUTH TEXAS AVE-SUITE 101D COLLEGE STATION,TEXAS 77840 1 block South of Texas & University Dr. EYE EXAM AND CARE KIT NOT INCLUDED RAM ADA Convention Center DAILY LUNCH BUFFET Bring a friend and enjoy a variety of delicious salads, entrees, vegetables, and desserts. Located at Texas and University Dr. across from TAMU Locally owned and operated FRIDAY -Ramada Special CATFISH SATURDAY NIGHT d a Plays & Spins Music of the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s Dance to the music of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Harry James 8 p.m.-12 p.m. Welcome COSA 409-696-4242 2&2£ sue DUC DUC S<1£ MSC Visual Arts Committee cordially invites you to attend the opening of Why of the Warrior an exhibition of Japanese Swords and Prints from R. B. Caldwell’s Private Collection special lecture by Mr. R. B. Caldwell on Wednesday, October 9, 1985 Lecture at 7:00 pm in MSC 206 Reception following in MSC Gallery Page 10/The Battalion/Wednesday, October 9, 1985 World and Nation Committee revamping U.S. tax code Associated Press WASHINGTON — 1 he House Ways and Means Committee, attack ing the “three-martini lunch” that many Americans view as a symbol of an unfair tax system, is moving to re strict business’ ability to deduct costs of meals and entertainment. The panel’s action, taken Monday behind closed.doors as lobbyists for restaurants, hotels and sports teams waited outside, is far from final. Some members said they expect the issue to be raised again before the committee finishes work on a new tax code. But for the moment, the commit tee has agreed that businesses should no longer be allowed unlim ited deductions for costs of meals and of entertaining clients, includ ing sports and theater tickets. The panel endorsed President Reagan’s conclusion that such de ductions are abused and unfair. But members stopped short of accepting the president’s proposed changes. T he committee also went against Reagan’s wishes on another matter. It agreed to continue the $l-per-tax- payer checkoff for the federal fund that finances presidential elections. Still awaiting the 36-member panel are the tough issues of tax overhaul, including how low to re duce tax rates, how high to raise the personal exemption, and whether to repeal the deduction for state and local taxes paid. Under current law, a business may deduct reasonable, ordinary and necessary expenses, including the cost of meals, if they are eaten in a place that is conducive to a dis cussion of business, and of costs of entertaining clients or potential cus tomers. That law favors a relative few peo ple, the White House complained in recommending change. House OKs agriculture bill Associated Press WASHINGTON — The House approved a 1985 farm bill Tuesday that pins hopes for recovery of the U.S. agricultural economy on in creased export sales, and meantime offers a safety net of farm income guarantees. I he five-year, $141 billion bill in cludes price supports for major crops like wheat, corn, cotton, rice and soybeans, a new soil conserva tion package, money for agricultural extension and research, and new statutory authority for food stamps and overseas food aid. The Senate is not scheduled to act on its version of the bill until next week at the earliest. Prolonged House-Senate negotiations ap peared likely before a final measure can be sent to President Reagan. In its key elements — crop price supports and farm income subsidies — the House bill retains the essential structure of current farm law. It continues to offer farmers loans on their crops to allow them to wait for the most advantageous time to sell, and bolsters income through di rect payments that make up the dif ference between the price farmers receive and a pre-set “tai get price.” Rep. Arlan Stangeland, R-Minn., who had favored a more unortho dox approach to solving farm eco nomic problems, called it “a warmed-over 1981 farm bill.” SHOE by Jeff MacNelf Lowest-paid workers losing overtime, wages, report says Associated Press WASHINGTON — Mam ol America’s lowest-paid workers are being cheated out of overtime pav and minimum wages because the federal government isn't enforcing an important labor law, the General Accounting Office savs. The congressional watchdog agency said in a report to a 1 louse la bor subcommittee that the justice and Labor departments often ignore violations ol the Kail Labor Stan dards Act because penalties are light and investigators feel their time is better spent on other projet is. “The maximum penalty foi a first conviction — a fine of up to $10,000 — is not considered to he severe In Department ol Justice officials, and because of higher priority work, jus tice is unlikely to prosecute !• LSA vi olations,” said the study, released last week to the subcommittee on la bor standards. “Based on the low priorilv given by Justice officials to FLSA viola tions, Labor’s position of focusing on civil rather than criminal remedies appears reasonable,” it cone luded. 1 he repent surveyed i^ibor De partment receirds in Washington as well as lieJcl offices in Boston, Ghi- cage>, Dallas, Atlanta. Kansas City, and San Francisce>. Most e>l the ailected workers ele> piecework in the apparel industry or are empletyed in light inanufaet ir- ing. 1 he stuely, reejuesteel by subcont- ntitlec chairman Austin Murphy. D- Pa., Ie)lle»\veel upon a 1981 investiga tion that reported non-compliance with FLSA's minimum wage, over time and record-keeping provisions was a “serious and continuing prob lem." 1 hai previous investigation also reported that employers who vio lated the labor I. w often went unpu nished and th.tt the laibnt Depart ment frequently failed to seek maximum compensation for em- ployees who wereduc hack wages. The new report conclude*I that little has changed in four years. “Our current review showed that most investigations were not up dated before settlement and firms who previously violated FLSA were usually not In-mg monitored and it! investigated." the report said. Fo help correct the problem,tit GAO recommended that govtn-j ment prosecutors routinely sed beats damage payments in addiuct to back wages from emplovennit; hieak the law. Murphy, who is still Mudyingilu repoit, had no comment. Assistant Attorney General Ui rent e Wallace responded to then ! |>oi t in a letter, saving that stillerpJ nalties might induce ledtij srosecutoi s to more actively pu® USA s iolations. “GAO may wish to recommendi us re|H>ri to Congress an amen ment to the Fl.SA allowing a terms imprisonment tor convictions sit! a re|KMt ot lender has beensubjedM a prior tivil judgment underlie at t\\ all.it e wrote. As die law is now written.imp' onment is an option onlv after a employer's second conviction. 1 he maximum sentence months. U.S. Treasury juggling books to keep government solvent Associated Press WASHING I ON — I he Trea sury Department used some crea tive bookkeeping Tuesday to keep the government afloat while Senate leaders spun their parlia mentary wheels over a balanced budget plan that has stalled ac tion on increasing federal bor rowing authority. At the same time, House Speaker Thomas IV O’Neill Jr., D-Mass., said Congress is in its current f ix because of insane ad ministration economic policies. In what has become a daily let ter updating Congress on the government’s effort to keep bal ancing itself on a fiscal precipice, Deputy Treasury Secretary Rich ard G. Darman told Senate Ma jority Leader Robert Dole, R- Kan.: “As of this morning, we project an ending balance for October 8 (today) of zero; and — absent re medial action — a negative end ing balance for October 9 (tomor row).” Dole said the Freasury was jug gling its books to maintain sol vency into Wednesday. “We’re advised today by the Treasury that they may be able to avoid default until tomorrow “As of this morning (Tuesday), we project an ending balance for Octo ber S of zero; and ... a negative ending balance for October 9 (today), " — Deputy Treasury Sec retary Richard G. Damian sometime,” he said. So far, the only sign of the gov ernment’s financial problems has been the series t>l letter from the Treasury Department to Con gress. But the administration has warned Congress that continued delay could trigger a process un der which the Federal Reserve System would tell hanks not to honor government checks. Nonetheless, of ficials have said the government will not stop issu ing checks. Some legislators said the Trea sury Department was overdoing its warning. “There is no calamity,” said Sen. Steven I). Symms, R-Idaho, adding the Treasury actionswert I "scare tat tics.” I he problem is that the gw-fl eminent has reached its borrm-1 mg ceiling of $1.82-1 trillion and I t an onl\ operate with theodif has on hand. I n ordei for the governmentto j (sorrow more to meet itsobliga-| lions, (ongirss must increaseiln| debt limit. 1 lie Reagan administration I has asked for a new debt limit of 1 moi e than $2 trillion. After days of stalemate, Senate I leaders began bargaining Tue-i day on a plan that would allow for H a short -term increase in the got-1 ernnienl’s borrowing authoiitvl and allow votes on an amend-■ ment offered by Sens. PMj Gramm, R-Texas; Warren Rtid-1 man, R-N.H.; and Ernest Hofl lings, D-S.C. Republicans, with Presidtnt ■ Reagan's support, have insisted N on linking the debt limit increase 1 to the plan to impose statutonl limits on budget deficits in order ■ to achieve a balanced budgetbrI 1991. Democratic leaders said the I sweeping ha la need-budget plan being considered too hastily and I .ire seau hing for alternatives. I Picture This!