The House : Smoking Ban

By a vote of 198 to 193, the House amended the fiscal 1988 Department of Transportation appropriations bill to ban smoking on airline flights of two hours or less. The bill (HR 2890) was sent to the Senate.

Sponsor Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) said smoking poses a health hazard “to the nonsmoker who must sit in the company of someone smoking.”

Opponent Harold Rogers (R-Ky.) said a ban would jeopardize flight safety by forcing some passengers to smoke surreptitiously in airplane bathrooms.

Members voting yes wanted to ban smoking on flights of up to two hours.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dreier (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Hawkins (D) x Rep. Martinez (D) x Rep. Torres (D) x

Spending Cut

The House voted 218 to 166 to cut most spending categories of the fiscal 1988 Department of Transportation appropriations bill by 2%, lowering its price tag to about $11 billion.

Supporter Bill Frenzel (R-Minn.) said, “If this House cannot even vote for a 2% cut . . . we have flown the white flag and are unworthy of the job that our constituents entrusted to us.”

Opponent Norman Y. Mineta (D-San Jose) said the cut would imperil airline safety by reducing Federal Aviation Agency spending by $90 million during the fiscal year.

Members voting yes supported the spending cut.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dreier (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Hawkins (D) x Rep. Martinez (D) x Rep. Torres (D) x

Highway Projects

By a 177-217 vote, the House rejected an amendment to delete $20.4 million in appropriations for five highway demonstration projects in four states. The appropriations had not been fully authorized, critics said.

The disputed spending would benefit California 113 near Davis, the Blount Island Bridge in Jacksonville, Fla., U. S. 101 near Monterey, mountain roads between Paintsville and Prestonburg, Ky., and the Queets River Bridge on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.

Amendment sponsor J. Alex McMillan (R-N.C.) said questionable new spending should be halted in deference to the national debt.

Opponent William Lehman (D-Fla.) said Appropriations Committee members “are not feathering our nests with these highway demonstration projects.”

Members voting yes opposed the $20.4-million outlay.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dreier (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Hawkins (D) x Rep. Martinez (D) x Rep. Torres (D) x