The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 04, 2002, Image 7

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Senate opens debate
On Homeland Security
WASHINGTON
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(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.
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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.
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Navy begins war exercises
in wake of 9/11 attacks
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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
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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!