UNCLASSIFIED
167227
MDHIAN 6630
HA
Ww2 091/? UP COPY
192,DIST?
UNCLASSIFIED
FM WASHINGTON
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 568
OF 130001Z MARCH 92
PEKING,
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING, ACTOR
8
X OUR TELNO
548
: US/CHINA: MFN: CONGRESSIONAL OVERRIDE
13/3
SUMMARY
1.
HOUSE VOTES TO OVERRIDE PRESIDENTIAL VETO OF BILL SETTING CONDITIONS FOR MEN. SENATE VOTE LIKELY NEXT WEEK, BUT THE PRESIDENT PROBABLY HAS SUFFICIENT SUPPORT IN THE SENATE TO SUSTAIN
HIS VETO.
DETAIL
2. ON 11 MARCH THE HOUSE VOTED 357-61 TO OVERRIDE THE PRESIDENT'S VETO OF A BILL SETTING CONDITIONS FOR RENEWAL OF CHINA'S MEN STATUS (TUR). THE SIZE OF THE VOTE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE 409-21 MAJORITY BY WHICH THE HOUSE PASSED THE ORIGINAL BILL LATE LAST YEAR, LARGELY BECAUSE MORE REPUBLICANS DECIDED TO STICK WITH THE PRESIDENT. NEVERTHELESS, IT WAS STILL ABOVE THE TWO THIRDS MAJORITY NEEDED TO OVERRIDE THE PRESIDENT'S VETO.
3.
SINCE THE
THE PRESIDENT'S HOPES ARE THEREFORE PINNED ON THE SENATE, WHERE A VOTE IS LIKELY NEXT WEEK (PROBABLY ON 17/18/19 MARCH). THERE IS LITTLE CHANCE OF THE SENATE MUSTERING THE TWO THIRDS MAJORITY NEEDED TO OVERRIDE THE PRESIDENT'S VETO. 25 FEBRUARY VOTE (TUR) THE RETAIL INDUSTRY HAS MOUNTED A STRONG CAMPAIGN, TARGETTED ON SPECIFIC SENATORS, AND OUR CONTACTS DO NOT EXCLUDE THAT THE PRESIDENT MIGHT DO EVEN BETTER THAN HE DID ON 25 FEBRUARY.
RENWICK
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