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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 4, 2002)
■ation THE BATTALION s* 5 * (price must ersonai p 0SStS; Pin doesn't» lualify for thtj oiled earlv Senate opens debate On Homeland Security WASHINGTON ' * 3 WiJj; 3 PC««s^ tor*n% ■*<)* (AP) Senate kicked off a con- "T®^Biuious debate Tuesday on IgMy^^J^ftvsKlcnt Bush’s blueprint for a ’ WANTED ■omeland Sccunts Department. Mutant pomo-. M' 1 * 1 Democrats flatly rejecting « agency ^ A bite House demands for fP^ ^ 6v * f>a ^P eater n1ana g ement flexibility oW 'ncxidt !l»' er agency’s estimated narver.ngj^, 1 '0,000 employees, o s*<ry} re«ir*' i The White House responded SiaiK^Tnrji^B i t ^ a statement repeating i»ush's vow to veto the Senate ^^^^^^^fteasure, largely over the work- Ir dispute. I Senate Majority Leader Tom K)aschle called Bush’s proposal ia power grab of unprecedented nagnitude'* that would under mine the nonpolitical govern ment civil service system and mreaten labor union rights and protections for one-third of the morkers. “We’re not going to roll over mhen it comes to principles and Beliefs we hold to be very, very ■nportant,” said Daschle, D-S.D. | The White House and its ■Republican congressional allies llso dug in their heels. Tom Ridge, the president’s point man |)n homeland security, said the lew department needs broader ^^^^^^|>owers to hire, fire, promote or LANEOUi ■Jemote and pay employees — waive union rights in mat- •• ct.«* tors of national security - to leet emerging terrorist threats. “The president has indicated t’s not just a matter of reconfig- iring letterheads and address- :s,’’ Ridge told reporters after neeting privately with epublican senators. The Senate GOP leader, Trent x>tt of Mississippi, predicted 3ush would bring enough politi- :al pressure to bear to get much of what he wants in the end. “It’s about doing the job. If we get into this political folderol ... I think that’s a mistake,” Lott said. L The president met Tuesday HOMELAND SECURITY Senate debates workers’ rights in new agency The Senate opened debate Tuesday on its version of the Homeland Security bill. Its version does not include most of President Bush’s provision that deals with employees’ rights ip the new agency. A look at the bill’s two versions to date: White House proposal “the Secretary of Homeland Security may ... establish and from time to time adjust, a human resources management system for some or all of the organizational units of the Department..." House proposal ► Emphasizes worker performance and accountability. ► Permits broader job classifications and pay scales. ► Allows waiver of union rights for national security. ► Leaves intact provisions for civil rights, disabled, age discrimination, whistleblowers and others. 4-6 Ifcr tki -•ee>»: t- C-mr 53v: SOURCE Associated Press with GOP senators at the White House to reinforce his demands for the new Cabinet agency and planned similar sessions later this week with Democrats. “I don’t recall the term veto being used by the president but he made it very clear that the bill had to be acceptable to him. that he wasn’t going to accept some — these are my words — weak compromise,” Sen. Bob Smith, R-N.H.. told reporters afterward. Later in the day, however, the White- House issued a statement stating that Bush would veto the Senate bill “in its current form." In addition to the personnel issues, the statement said Bush objects to the bill’s “intrusive” new White House Homeland Security Office with a Senate- confirmed director. As the battle lines hardened, the Senate voted 94-0 to proceed to full debate, which could take two or three weeks. Presidential power to waive union collective bargaining rights for federal employees for national security reasons has existed since 1977, said Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn. Congress has approved more flexible personnel systems for agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Aviation Administration and the new Transportation Security Administration. Even though there was no immediate sign of compromise on the personnel dispute, both sides predicted the Senate would pass a Homeland Security bill later this month. That would set up negotiations on a final ver sion with the House, which in July approved a measure much like Bush’s original plan. Both bills would merge all or parts of 22 agencies into a single department focused on protecting Americans against terrorism at home. Both measures also would set up a new intelligence analysis office that would sift through data prcxluced by the CIA and FBI to identify potential threats. Kl cats s t* STATE eier $67,000 9' rV4btti, new*' 817-332-5800 Navy begins war exercises in wake of 9/11 attacks >mmate h, water's)^ jng distance -site. Treet'i* 5 needed ^ e neighbor les from jtilities VIEQUES, Puerto Rico (AP) — Fighter jets buzzed over Vieques on Tuesday as activists shied away from their usual raucous protests, fearful of stiff jail sentences and fines in a post- Sept. 11 climate. Pilots practiced fly-overs, U.S. Navy spokes woman Lt. Cmdr. Kim Dixon said, while the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and 11 other ships would likely practice shelling the bombing range on Wednesday. The exercises, the third since Sept. 11. are expected to last for 23 days. The military has used the prized bombing range on Vieques for more than six decades. Opposition to the exercises grew when a civilian guard was killed after a Navy jet dropped two bombs off-target in April 1999. Since then, only inert bombs have been used. Hundreds of people have tried to thwart the exercises by break ing onto the bombing range, often getting arrested, jailed and fined. But the terror attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon muted the protests. Five men entered Navy land at dawn on Tuesday and were quickly detained, said pro-inde pendence Sen. Fernando Martin. Aside from that, only a dozen activists showed up for lackluster protests. Activist camps — which would have been bustling a year ago before the attacks — were hall empty on Tuesday. “I’m personally not willing to risk it,” said Elizabeth Roebling, a 55-year-old activist from Asheville, N.C., sitting in a chair with the words “Civil Disobedience” painted on the back. She blamed the poor turnout on tougher jail sentences since the Patriot Act was passed follow ing the terror attacks. Roebling was arrested in June 2001 during bombing exercises and was released two days later. She said getting arrested now could mean several months in jail or a hefty fine. “The Bush administration has made it sound like protesting (since Sept. 11) is un-American,” she said. President Bush has promised the Navy will withdraw its forces from Vieques by May 2003. Some remain skeptical though. “My dream is that they leave in 2003, but Bush likes war just as much as his father did,” said Elba Perez, a 45-year-old cashier on Vieques. The Navy bombing range covers 900 acres on the eastern tip of Vieques — less than 3 per cent of the Caribbean island off the east coast of the U.S. territory. The Navy has said the bombing range is vital to military preparedness, but officials say they are looking for alternative sites. Opponents say the exercises harm the environ ment and health of Vieques’ 9,100 residents. The Navy denies the claim. Gov. Sila Calderon, an opponent of the exercis es, has said she will visit the island on Friday. ii My dream is that they leave in 2003, but Bush likes war just as much as his father did. — Elba Perez cahier m/lbth, ons* ' 71 ^ ES lerapeutic W* gift D 2002 Sea 50 75-7026. TEXAS A&M ★ FDDTBALL & Walk-on / 12th Man Informational Meeting Wednesday, September 4, 2002 4:30 p.m. The Football Team Auditorium on the NW Corner of Kyle Field Mandatory Attendance Must be Enrolled in 12 Hours at Texas A&M University at College Station Must have Started College No Earlier than the Fall of 2000 Rally Day PRESBYTERIAN |j| CHURCH (USAtF^^ c inn) I* Sunday, September 8, 2002 Come join ns as we "Kick Off" a new Church School year! Worship • Fellowship • Lunch All college students in attendance receive a welcome gift. 8:30 - Worship Service • 51:30 - Gathering & Sunday School Kick OH' 1 1:00 Worship Service • 12:00 - Taco Luncheon 1 lOO Carter Creek Parkway 979.823.8073 www.fpcbryan.org THE PTARMIGAN CLUB 2005 S. COLLEGE FALL DRINK SPECIALS!! MONDAYS: *OPEN MIC NIGHT* *2 CHUGGERS <& $ 1 KAMIKAZES TUESDAYS & WEDNESDAYS: 75<t WELLS (9-11) & $ 3 PITCHERS ALL NIGHT THURSDAYS: $ 1 WELLS ALL NIGHT FRIDAYS: $ 1 PINTS ALL NIGHT SATURDAYS: $ 2.50 CROWN, JACK, OR ABSOLUT ALL NIGHT MSC OPAS opens 30th Anniversary Season with “The Granddaddy of all TUINAc Comedies!” -NBC TV The Original New York Cast Joe Sears Jaston Williams Thursday - Saturday, September 5 Rudder Auditorium BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW Call 845-1234 or buy on-line at www.MSCOPAS.org! 7 at 7:30 PM MSC OPAS Three Decades of Performing Arts THIS JUST IN! MSC OPAS is hosting a community food drive on behalf of The Brazos Food Bank. Please bring a non-perishable food item when attending a performance GREATER TUNA! Discounted Ticket Prices Available forTAMU Students!
