First Session of Congress Seen
As Unproductive By Many
By JASON R. GARCIA
Capital News Service
November 19, 1999
WASHINGTON - Interest groups from across the ideological spectrum are giving the first
session of the 106 th
Congress a resounding ho-hum -- as are some Democrats in Maryland's congressional
delegation.
But where others see the work Congress did not do in this session, Maryland's
Republicans prefer to focus on what was accomplished..
"Actually, I thought it was pretty good," said Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest, R-
Kennedyville, who was pleased that Congress increased the budget surplus while locking
away the Social Security trust.
"We continued to be efficient in the way we spent our money," Gilchrest said.
But off of Capitol Hill, conservatives and liberals alike called the session
unproductive.
"There were a few highlights but, from our perspective, they could have done a lot
more," said Christian Josi, executive director of the American Conservative Union.
"I think overall there could be a lot more courage coming out of both bodies."
Robert Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition, which focuses on balanced
budget issues, said this Congress "had a lot of missed opportunities. They haven't
really bitten the bullet on Social Security or Medicare reform."
Debbie Atlas, a spokeswoman for Americans for Democratic Action, said "this
Congress can be characterized by what they did not do, and what they should have
done" on issues such as gun control, a patients' bill of rights and campaign finance
reform.
Some Democratic members of the Maryland delegation agreed.
"I regret to say it, but it was not a productive Congress," said Sen. Paul
Sarbanes, D-Baltimore.
"I would agree with that," said Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin, D-Baltimore.
"There were individual victories, but the overall agenda was not one the American
public can be pleased about."
But a spokesman for Rep. Constance A. Morella, R-Bethesda, said the public can be
pleased about such victories as the balanced budget and appropriations for biomedical
research.
"It was actually a very successful session," said Jonathan Dean, the
spokesman, noting that there will always be some unfinished business.
"Clearly there are other issues which need to be addressed, such as managed care
reform, but they will return in January," Dean said.
An aide to Rep. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., R-Timonium, said much of this session's action
occurred in committee and will come to fruition next session.
"The committees have been so prolific, there's going to be a lot of legislation
that will be ready to move in the spring," said Steven Kreseski, the aide.
But even Republicans concede that more could have been done and they, like the
Democrats, blame partisan politics for any shortcomings of this session.
Gilchrest said President Clinton and Democratic leaders were unwilling to work with
Republicans.
"There were a lot of bipartisan efforts," he said. Gilchrest said House
Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., is "by his very nature a bipartisan guy,"
whereas Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., and Minority Whip David Bonior, D-Mich.,
are "more interested in winning a majority next year."
Sarbanes criticized Republicans for using "procedural tricks" to prevent
issues from coming to a full vote.
"There were a number of issues which the Republican leadership failed to come to
grips with," he said. "They wouldn't allow measures to come to the floor for an
up or down substantive vote."
Both Democrats and Republicans did agree on one thing -- the spring session will likely
be less productive than this one was.
"We're moving into a political year, with a presidential election before us,"
Sarbanes said. "I'm concerned things will get even more partisan."
"You're going to have a volley of political howitzers exploding all over the
place," Gilchrest said. "I hate to say it, but it's true."
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