THE HOUSE

Family Leave Bill

By a vote of 237 to 187, the House sent to the Senate a bill (HR 770) requiring private employers of at least 50 workers, state and local governments and members of Congress to institute “family leave” as a job benefit. These employers would have to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year to enable parents to care for a new child or ailing parent, spouse or child. Seriously ill employees could use the time for personal medical leave. Leave-takers would retain any medical insurance provided for them and be assured of returning to the job they left or its equivalent.

Federal employees would get broader benefits, receiving up to 18 weeks of family leave over two years and 26 weeks of unpaid medical leave annually.

Supporter Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.) said, “We talk about family values in this town a lot,” and it is time to act.

Opponent Robert S. Walker (R-Pa.) said, “This is not a family bill (but) another big government welfare-oriented kind of bill.”

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

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

Family Leave Bill Provisions

By a vote of 155 to 264, the House rejected a motion to replace key provisions of the family leave bill (above) with a two-year study of the issue and a pilot program conducted among House employees. Sponsor Fred Grandy (R-Iowa) said his motion would “make us (in Congress) the guinea pig for a change.” Opponent Marge Roukema (R-N.J.) said the motion “simply guts the bill.” A yes vote was to study the need for a family leave law.

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

Amtrak Funding

The House approved, 322 to 93, the conference report on a bill (HR 2364) providing Amtrak with an average annual subsidy of $670 million between fiscal 1989 and 1992. The Senate later sent the bill to the White House. Taxpayers last year covered nearly 30% of the cost of operating Amtrak’s rail passenger service to almost 500 communities. President Bush urges no federal funding of Amtrak and threatens to veto the bill.

“This country would lose its national rail passenger service” without a federal subsidy, said supporter Thomas A. Luken (D-Ohio).

Dana Rohrabacher (R-Lomita) said, “The only cure for deficit spending is to cut that spending.”

A yes vote was to authorize the federal subsidy of Amtrak.

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