Clinton Rebukes Republicans

President Clinton used his weekly radio address Saturday to criticize congressional Republicans for dragging their feet on emergency disaster aid for 33 states. The House and Senate have left for a 10-day holiday break without passing legislation to provide emergency relief to disaster victims, including those from the flood-ravaged Dakotas and Minnesota. Both parties support disaster aid, but Clinton has threatened to veto the $8.4 billion emergency measure because of unrelated spending and environmental amendments added by Republicans. Clinton says the Republicans have left disaster victims "in the lurch." In the Republican radio address, Sen. Strom Thurmond paid tribute to those who serve in the nation's military and those who work in law enforcement.

Thurmond Sets Another Record

South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond is preparing to reach another milestone. The 94-year-old Republican on Sunday becomes the longest-serving senator in the nation's history. Thurmond's nearly 42-year tenure represents one-fifth of the Senate's own 208-year history. Thurmond was re-elected to an eighth six-year term last November. Already the oldest man ever to serve as a senator, he is poised to surpass the length of service of Arizona Democrat Carl Hayden, who died in 1969 after holding office 41 years and 10 months.

Richardson Cautious on Iraq Deal

America's ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, says the Clinton administration is reserving judgment on whether Iraq's oil-for-food deal should be continued. Richardson said Saturday the United States has not decided whether to continue the U.N.-brokered deal in which Iraq was allowed to sell $2 billion of oil over six months to buy food, medicine and other essentials for its people. In addition, Richardson said U.S. overtures to North Korea have reduced the chances of a conflict between the two Koreas. He also said the administration has made progress in talks with Congress to free up funds to pay about $1 billion in United Nations back dues. Richardson made his comments on CNN's "Evans and Novak" program.

Alaska Logging Plan Draws Fire

Alaska's logging industry and environmentalists finally have come to an agreement. They agree that they don't like the Clinton administration's compromise plan for the largest U.S. national forest. The U.S. Forest Service announced Friday that logging at the Tongass National Forest will be allowed at only half the level of past years under a final 10-year plan. Logging supporters claim the Tongass plan will starve the southeast Alaska timber industry. Environmentalists say it neglects fish and wildlife protections needed to repair damages of past over-logging.

Budget Plan Awaits Approval

Final congressional approval is expected early next month for the five-year balanced budget plan forged by President Clinton and congressional Republicans. The Senate Friday passed its version of the legislation by a vote of 78-22. The measure now goes to a conference committee to resolve minor differences with the version that the House passed on Wednesday. The plan aims to erase the federal deficit by 2002, slow the growth of federal spending and provide a net tax cut of $85 billion through 2002. The Senate rejected a host of amendments that called for more spending on schools, roads and domestic programs.

Bono Tops California GOP

A new poll shows Republican Rep. Sonny Bono could be the Republicans' best hope to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer. Although Bono, the former pop singer who now represents the Palm Springs area in the House, has not officially announced plans to run for the Senate in 1998, the poll found he is more popular than three Republicans who have entered the race. The Field Institute survey found Bono coming in second to Boxer with 17 percent of the vote, compared with Boxer's 34. California State Treasurer Matt Fong came in third with 14 percent, followed by San Diego Mayor Susan Golding with 7 percent and businessman Darrell Issa with 1 percent.

Senate Approves Three Judges

The Senate has approved the long-delayed appointment of three federal judges, even as Democrats charge Republicans are continuing to block a host of other White House judicial nominees. Including Friday's three judicial confirmations, the Senate has only approved five judges this year. Democrats have said majority Republicans are purposely slowing the process to prevent "activist" candidates from sitting on the federal bench. Republicans deny the accusation. The Senate approved the nominations of: Donald Middlebrooks as U.S. district judge for the Southern District of Florida; Jeffrey Miller as U.S. district judge for the Southern District of California; and Robert Pratt as U.S. district judge for the Southern District of Iowa.

Congress Considers China Ban

A bill to ban U.S. subsidies to China and limit Chinese government officials' access in the United States has been introduced in the Senate. The measure's sponsor, Michigan Republican Senator Spencer Abraham, says the goal is to "show our disapproval of the actions of the Chinese government, while at the same time encouraging worthwhile economic and cultural exchanges that can lead to positive change in China." The bill would require the United States to vote against all loans to China from international development banks such as the World Bank, and reduce U.S. contributions to those lenders by the loan commitment to China in the coming year. The bill also called for doubling funding for student, cultural and legislative exchange programs with China.

US Concerned on Congo Events

U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has expressed concern about events in the Democratic Republic of Congo and is urging self-proclaimed president Laurent Kabila to broaden his cabinet. Opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi was excluded from the partial cabinet announced by Kabila, whose forces captured Kinshasa to take control of the country formerly known as Zaire. Albright called Kabila's cabinet formation a "work-in-progress" but stressed "the importance of having a cabinet and a government that is inclusive of others than just his alliance". Albright said Washington wanted to see movement toward democratic elections.

Senate Grants Swiss Refuge

The Senate has agreed unanimously to grant refuge to a Swiss bank guard who said he feared for his safety and that of his family after he preserved Nazi-era bank records. The Senate approved a bill granting permanent residency status to Christophe Meili, 29, his wife and their two children. They would not have qualified for residency status under normal rules. Meili was a night security guard at the Union Bank of Switzerland when he stumbled on the carts of Holocaust-era documents waiting for the shredder. In Senate testimony, he accused Swiss banks, police and government authorities of hoping to keep hidden the nation's past dealings with Nazis.

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