THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1985
SENATE SETBACK FOR AMENDED JENKINS BILL
*****
AN ATTEMPT TO PUSH AN AMENDED VERSION OF THE THURMOND/ JENKINS BILL THROUGH THE SENATE ON WEDNESDAY (U.S. TIME) HAD BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, DIRECTOR OF TRADE, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
+WE HAVE RECEIVED REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON THAT SENATOR STROM THURMOND ATTEMPTED TO ATTACH AN AMENDED VERSION OF THE TEXTILES BILL ONTO THE MICRONESIA BILL WHICH CAME BEFORE THE SENATE ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2.
THE AMENDED VERSION OF THE TEXTILES BILL PROVIDES FOR HARSH CUTBACKS AGAINST THREE SUPPLIERS - HONG KONG, KOREA AND TAIWAN. OTHER SUPPLIERS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO CUTBACKS BASED ON
THE 1984 TRADE, WHICH WOULD STILL BE SERIOUS IN MANY CASES. REVISED BILL ALSO EXTENDS PROTECTION TO THE U.S. FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY.
+WE UNDERSTAND THAT SENATOR MCCLURE, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE MICRONESIA BILL IN THE SENATE, THEN PROPOSED THAT THE TEXTILES BILL BE DROPPED FROM THE MICRONESIA BILL. ALTHOUGH SENATOR MCCLURE'S PROPOSAL WAS DEFEATED BY
53 VOTES TO 42, THE VOTING MADE IT CLEAR THAT THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE TO SENATOR THURMOND'S MOVE AND,
SPECIFICALLY, THAT HE PROBABLY LACKED THE 60 VOTES NEEDED TO STOP A THREATENED FILIBUSTER WHICH WOULD HAVE DELAYED VOTING ON THE BILL INDEFINITELY.
+ACCORDINGLY, SENATOR THURMOND DID NOT PRESS MATTERS TO A VOTE, AND AT THIS POINT THE MICRONESIA BILL WAS WITHDRAWN FROM DE BATE. IT MAY BE RESCHEDULED FOR FURTHER DEBATE NEXT WEEK WHEN NO DOUBT HE WILL RENEW HIS EFFORTS.+
COMMENTING ON THESE DEVELOPMENTS, MR MACLEOD SAID: +WE TAKE SOME ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE FACT THAT SENATOR THURMOND'S ATTEMPT HAS, ON THIS OCCASION, FAILED AND FROM THE SIZE OF THE OPPOSITION VOTE.
+THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR TEST IN THE SENATE AND THE RESULT SUGGESTS THAT EARLIER REPORTS THAT SUPPORT FOR THE BILL WAS WEAKENING SOMEWHAT ARE CORRECT.
+THIS DEVELOPMENT FOLLOWS THE VERY CLOSE VOTE IN THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE LAST WEEK, WHEN A SIGNIFICANT AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY CONGRESSMAN GEPHARDT WAS DEFEATED BY ONLY 18 VOTES TO 17.
+THUS, WHILE THE BILL REMAINS AS DANGEROUS AS EVER, AND STILL COMMANDS SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT IN BOTH THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE, WE CAN TAKE SOME ENCOURAGEMENT THAT A SUBSTANTIAL AND GROWING PORTION OF THE U.S. CONGRESS IS GIVING DUE WEIGHT TO THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE BILL.+
12