Dole Threatens to Block Terrorism Bill : Senate: The majority leader says President must rein in Democrats. He also says Foster now has votes to win confirmation as surgeon general.

Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) threatened Sunday to withdraw anti-terrorism legislation from consideration in the Senate, further escalating the bitter partisan battle over what should be in it.

Dole delivered an ultimatum to President Clinton to dispose of a flurry of 67 Democratic amendments to the legislation promptly or see it put on the back burner.

If Clinton intervenes with Democrats, “we’ll get it passed maybe by Tuesday,” Dole said on NBC-TV’s “Meet the Press.” “Otherwise, I’m going to pull it down. I’m not going to spend two weeks on this bill to satisfy every Democrat who wants to make some political points.”

Dole also said he now thinks Dr. Henry W. Foster Jr. has the votes to win confirmation as surgeon general. But he said he is not sure Foster has the larger margin of support needed to prevent a filibuster in the Senate, which some opponents have threatened.

“If those opposed to him have 41 votes” and can keep the issue open, “there’ll never be a vote,” Dole said. “If he gets beyond that, I think, yes, the votes are there” for confirmation.

Dole said that before deciding whether to bring Foster’s nomination to the floor, he still wants to talk with the obstetrician-gynecologist about abortions he has performed and whether he was candid about acknowledging them.

The rhetoric over anti-terrorism measures in the Senate showed how entangled one of the hottest political causes in the nation has become in the larger partisan dispute over fighting crime.

Republicans, citing civil liberties and other concerns, have balked at Democratic proposals to ease federal restrictions on wiretapping suspected terrorists. They have also opposed putting tracing agents in chemicals that can be used in explosives or allowing the military to take a new role in investigations involving chemical or biological weapons, as Clinton has suggested.

Senate Democrats have fought against adding a GOP anti-crime proposal that would limit appeals in death penalty cases.

Administration officials said Sunday that the White House will continue to consult with lawmakers when Congress returns this week from its Memorial Day recess. “The President has put his shoulder to the wheel on this issue, and Sen. Dole knows it,” White House spokesman Calvin Mitchell said.

Dole attempted to shift the blame for the lack of legislative action on terrorism since the April 19 Oklahoma City bombing.

“The President has provided absolutely no leadership at all on this issue other than public statements,” he said.