O.C. Delegates Make Marks in Different Ways : HOUSE: Results for Members of O.C.’s Delegation Are Mixed

This was the year for Republicans in Congress to put up or shut up; to quit behaving like the naysayers they had become as members of the minority party, grab the reins of power and lead.

Empowered with new majority party status, there was perhaps no other congressional delegation than the one from Orange County that had a greater opportunity to succeed.

Hailing from politically important California and from one of the nation’s most conservative counties, the six local Republicans could safely vote for drastic changes in the Medicare program, cut services for the poor, reduce environmental protections for the sake of business and follow the rest of the Republican agenda without incurring the wrath of most local voters.

But for the GOP, the tasks of legislating and leading proved easier said than done--evidenced by the worst budget gridlock in recent years and the small number of bills enacted so far. The results for members of the Orange County delegation are mixed.

Judged by news headlines alone, two local congressmen stood out for widely different reasons. Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) distinguished himself by developing rare bipartisan coalitions on tough bills, such as one just approved by Congress that would make it tougher to file and win securities fraud lawsuits. In enacting the law, Congress for the first time overrode a veto by President Clinton.

Garden Grove Rep. Robert K. Dornan’s ideological crusading reached the presidential campaign trail, where he is running a longshot bid for the 1996 GOP nomination.

“Because of [Cox’s] intellect and his ability to work with people, I’m not surprised that a year after these people have been in power, Cox is the one who achieved something,” said Mark Petracca, a political scientist at UC Irvine. “Bob Dornan has distinguished himself as the court jester of the 1996 presidential campaign.”

A similar assessment is offered by Norman J. Ornstein of the conservative American Enterprise Institute in Washington.

Cox “is an up-and-comer, beyond any question. He’s smart, he’s respected. The securities legislation has his imprint on it and it ended up being accepted pretty widely,” Ornstein said.

“Bob Dornan is Bob Dornan, and in many ways, his role in Congress does not change, whether he’s in the majority or the minority,” Ornstein added, referring to Dornan’s penchant to work for his conservative causes on the House floor and radio talk shows, rather than by writing legislation. “If you list the 10 most effective members, or 50 most effective, you are not going to find his name on that list.”

Despite his reputation, Dornan did offer legislative amendments on issues ranging from abortion to Vietnam to Bosnia this year and guided congressional passage of the portion of the defense bill dealing with military personnel.

If enacting major legislation defines success, then Rep. Ron Packard (R-Oceanside) is the only member of the county delegation besides Cox to earn bragging rights this year. As chairman of the appropriations subcommittee, Packard handled--in his trademark low-key manner--an “inside-the-Beltway” spending bill for congressional operations that was signed by Clinton and set the standard for other proposed budget bills.

There are differing opinions of the legislative performance of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), a reflection of his personality and activist agenda.

“Rohrabacher spent most of his time trying to recall [former Republican Assembly Speaker] Doris Allen,” Petracca said, an effort applauded by Rohrabacher’s fellow Republican conservatives.

As chairman of a science subcommittee, Rohrabacher was instrumental in increasing funding for space projects, including a planned space station, at a time when other programs were being slashed. He also led efforts to cut funding for some research projects he believes are “junk” science but were favored by the Clinton administration.

“He has some potential to play a serious role because he’s a forceful guy,” Ornstein said, recognizing Rohrabacher’s role in the science area. “But his colorfulness undercuts his influence and it makes people not think of him as a serious legislator.”

But former Rep. Bill Frenzel (R-Minn.) credited Cox, Rohrabacher and Packard with leading the delegation in making “a good mark among the new majority. The old-timers have helped the new ones come along.”

Though they were reform-minded on the national stage, the members of the county delegation did almost nothing in response to Orange County’s biggest crisis this year, the bankruptcy of the county government that resulted from a risky investment strategy. Their inaction was part of the Republican philosophy to allow local government to handle local concerns.

Cox did face some bankruptcy-related criticism because of his securities bill. Opponents asserted that had it been law at the time of Orange County’s financial debacle, investors would not have been able to take their fraud claims to court. Supporters denied the allegation.

CHRISTOPHER COX

A New York congressman recently asked Cox whether he represents all of Orange County, a story used by Cox to illustrate how outsiders mistakenly and unfairly perceive Orange County as “monolithic.” But the account also shows the high-profile Cox has achieved in the House as chairman of the GOP’s policy committee and as a leader on major legislation.

Cox’s securities fraud litigation bill, a major part of the GOP’s “contract with America,” was vetoed by the president last week out of fear that it would close “the courthouse doors” on investors who say they have lost money through securities fraud.

The very next morning, however, the House returned with a 319-100 vote to override Clinton’s decision, and the Senate followed Friday with a 68-30 vote in favor of the bill.

Other bills sponsored by Cox and approved by the House reflect his focus on legal reform. They include limiting federal court appeals by convicted murderers; capping at $250,000 the court awards for “injured feelings” claims by plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases; and setting new rules in deciding lawsuit damages.

ROBERT K. DORNAN

As chairman of two House subcommittees dealing with national security and intelligence, Dornan combined his interest in defense issues with his socially conservative ideology. The Garden Grove congressman worked into the defense debate an amendment to eliminate privately funded abortions at overseas military hospitals. He also insisted that aid to Russia be conditioned on proof that it has ended development of biological weapons, an amendment that has received preliminary congressional approval.

Dornan also contributed to the GOP “contract with America” a provision to limit the president’s ability to place U.S. forces under command of the United Nations.

He failed by eight votes to win House support for his bill to eliminate funding for ground troop deployment in Bosnia.

On local issues, the congressman guided Orange County’s receipt of $5 million to relieve traffic congestion and pollution and worked to secure funding for the Orange County Regional Water Reclamation Project, which will help recycle waste water now discharged into the ocean.

JAY C. KIM

(R-Diamond Bar)

In an era of dwindling resources for “pork barrel” projects, Kim focused his energies on the needs of his district, which straddles Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties.

After the bankruptcy, Kim concentrated on accelerating the payment of federal dollars to Orange County, to help ease cash flow problems. As one of the few Southern Californians on the Transportation Committee--a panel that was once packed with influential California legislators--Kim also became the guardian for transportation projects inside his district and beyond.

They include a $10.5-million funding request for road improvements related to expansion of the Ontario International Airport and applications totaling $91 million for improvements in Anaheim, Brea and Yorba Linda.

Many of the bills introduced by this junior member stalled in committees, but he helped amend the Clean Air Act to the benefit of California, requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to hold off enforcement until state plans to implement the clean air law are considered and rejected. Kim supported a bill to prohibit welfare assistance to illegal immigrants. The measure is part of a welfare package that Clinton has indicated he will veto.

Kim’s tenure has been marked by an ongoing federal probe into alleged financial irregularities during his first campaign for Congress in 1992. Hyundai Motor America and Korean Airlines were recently fined for making illegal contributions to his campaign. No charges have been filed against Kim, the only Korean-American ever elected to Congress, and he has repeatedly stated that he returned contributions that were known to be improper.

RON PACKARD

Through his assignment to the influential House Appropriations Committee, Packard helped pare back spending on Congress and other legislative branch operations by 9%. He was nonetheless able to maintain funding for improvements for his district, which runs from southern Orange County to northern San Diego County.

Projects funded through Packard’s efforts include $113 million for housing improvements and construction at Camp Pendleton and $38.6 million for bachelor enlisted quarters at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.

Packard also worked for increased funding for the Immigration and Naturalization Service’s border patrol units and expansion of local INS checkpoints. But the measure was part of a bill vetoed by the president.

DANA ROHRABACHER

The National Taxpayers Union gave Rohrabacher the fourth-highest ranking of all members in Congress for being a “friend” of the taxpayer. But his interests and rhetoric varied considerably.

Loyal to the “contract with America,” he didn’t hesitate to criticize the House leadership when it accepted Clinton’s plan to bail out the Mexican peso. A bill he co-sponsored to restrict Clinton’s Bosnia mission passed the House but failed in the Senate.

As a member of the House immigration task force, Rohrabacher pressed for stricter enforcement of illegal immigration laws, including repeal of a law that allows certain illegal immigrants to remain in the United States while their applications are pending. Action on the immigration bill has been postponed until next year.

He doggedly fought for a patent protection bill that is stuck in committee because its chairman is opposed.

On local issues, Rohrabacher blocked a proposal by the Interior Department to turn over to the Irvine Co. some land at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in exchange for wilderness land owned by the company adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest.

ED ROYCE

(R-Fullerton)

Congressional representatives used to be judged by the amount of “pork-barrel” projects they could bring home to their districts. Royce made his mark by trying to cut pork projects in other members’ districts.

Royce was co-chairman of the Congressional Porkbusters Coalition, which ferreted out what it considered wasteful spending in pending bills. This year, the group cut $21 billion from the military construction spending bill, and developed a plan to repeal $9 billion from “unneeded” 1995 spending projects.

The House also approved the Royce-led “lockbox” rule that would capture all savings and apply them to deficit reduction.

Rebecca Weiner of the States News Service contributed to this report.

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House Cleaning

Legislative highlights for 1995 for members of the Orange County congressional delegation:

Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach)

* Authored bill regulating securities fraud lawsuits that was enacted despite a presidential veto. It was a major point in the House Republicans’ “contract with America.”

* Won House approval of other legal reforms including capping some awards in medical malpractice cases and limiting federal court appeals by convicted murderers.

* Led House approval of bills to bar Federal Communications Commission from content or economic regulation of the Internet and to remove liability for online service providers who take steps to remove pornographic or objectionable material; eliminate the Interstate Commerce Commission; privatize costly and outdated federal helium reserve program. But those provisions are still pending in Congress.

* Received House support for legislation to swap 60 acres of Cleveland National Forest for 94 acres owned by Orange County Boy Scouts to resolve boundary problem.

Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove)

* Added to defense bills an amendment to ban privately funded abortions for military personnel or their dependents at overseas military hospitals.

* Contributed to the GOP “contract with America” a provision limiting the president’s ability to place U.S. troops under command of the U.N.

* Recently lost by eight votes House support for a bill to eliminate funding for ground troop deployment in Bosnia.

* Included in an appropriations bill a requirement that the United States not establish formal relations with Vietnam until there is “full” cooperation on POW/MIA investigations.

Rep. Jay C. Kim (R-Diamond Bar)

* Guided funding requests for numerous road improvements for Southern California--both inside and outside his district, including $91 million for Anaheim, Brea and Yorba Linda.

* Helped amend Clean Air Act for benefit of California, requiring Environmental Protection Agency to defer enforcement until state plans to implement clean air law are considered and rejected.

* Supported a bill to prohibit public welfare assistance to illegal immigrants.

Rep. Ron Packard (R-Oceanside)

* Chaired Appropriations subcommittee dealing with congressional operations and cut 9% from the legislative branch budget, including 2,614 staff positions. Only local member besides Cox to get a bill enacted this session.

* Helped secure $788 million--two-thirds of the military construction funding bill--for California bases, including $113 million for Camp Pendleton and almost $39 million for Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.

* Increased funding for Immigration and Naturalization Service’s border patrol units and fought to maintain border checkpoints in Oceanside and Temecula, but measure was part of a bill vetoed by the president.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach)

* Won funding for NASA’s Reusable Launch Vehicle research project, expected to replace space shuttle and yield research and development contracts for Southern California’s aerospace industry.

* Helped lead fight for $14 billion for U.S. space station.

* Contributed to immigration bill now pending before Congress, including repeal of provision that lets some illegal immigrants remain in the United States while their applications for legal status are pending.

* Blocked proposal by Interior Department to turn over to Irvine Co. some land at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in exchange for wilderness land owned by the company adjacent to Cleveland National Forest.

* Co-sponsored bill that would have required President Clinton to get congressional approval before spending money to deploy troops to Bosnia. Passed in House but failed in Senate.

* Fought for a patent protection bill that stalled in committee because its chairman is opposed; working on bill to privatize the U.S. Postal Service.

Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton)

* Co-chairman of Congressional Porkbusters Coalition, which attacked spending deemed wasteful in various appropriations bills. Coalition reduced military construction budget by $21 billion.

* Won House approval of a “lockbox” proposal that requires all budget cuts to be applied to deficit reduction.

* Helped sponsor several rule changes on opening day of session, including one making it easier to identify projects scheduled for funding but not authorized by Congress.

Source: Times reports; Researched by GEBE MARTINEZ / Los Angeles Times