The House : Debt Limit Increase

By a vote of 263 to 155, the House raised the federal debt ceiling from $2.11 trillion to $2.32 trillion through Aug. 6. The same measure was approved by the Senate, enabling the government to avert what would have been the U. S. Treasury’s first default in history.

Recent congressional efforts to enact a long-term increase in the debt limit have foundered on disputes over how best to put teeth back into the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings balanced-budget law.

Members voting yes supported a short-term increase in the limit on federal borrowing.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Beilenson (D) x Rep. Berman (D) x Rep. Gallegly (R) x Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Waxman (D) x

Nuclear Liability

The House rejected, 300 to 119, an amendment to eliminate the ceiling on utility company payments for damages resulting from nuclear power plant accidents. Under the defeated amendment, unlimited liability for a given accident was to be provided from a fund drawn from operators of all nuclear plants. It was offered to a bill that, as later passed, increased from $700 million to $7 billion the cap on the amount all victims could collect from a single accident.

The bill (HR 1414) was sent to the Senate.

Supporter Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said unlimited liability would give the nuclear industry an “economic incentive to make their plants operate more safely.”

Opponent Philip R. Sharp (D-Ind.) said: “Let’s not go for utopia when we have a chance to get something real, concrete and substantial for people.”

Members voting yes favored unlimited power company liability for nuclear accidents.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Beilenson (D) x Rep. Berman (D) x Rep. Gallegly (R) x Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Waxman (D) x

Deportation Suspended

By a vote of 237 to 181, the House passed a bill (HR 618) to enable most illegal immigrants from Nicaragua and El Salvador to remain in the United States until the General Accounting Office and Congress complete a review of U. S. deportation policy affecting parts of Central America. The review is expected to take about two years. The bill was sent to the Senate.

Supporters said the bill gives refugees from El Salvador’s civil war the same opportunities for asylum the Administration is according immigrants from Marxist Nicaragua.

Opponent E. Clay Shaw Jr. (R-Fla.) said: “The floodgates are open if this bill passes.”

Members voting yes supported the bill.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Beilenson (D) x Rep. Berman (D) x Rep. Gallegly (R) x Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Waxman (D) x