Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.news,americast.usa-today.news From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: news Wed, Sep 23 1992 Date: Wed, 23 Sep 92 04:36:28 EDT Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: News USA TODAY Update Sept. 23, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network BUSH VETOES FAMILY LEAVE BILL: President Bush, looking to solidify sagging support from business owners, decided Tuesday night to take political heat and veto the family leave bill, which would have required unpaid days off for new mothers or fathers. The veto is expected to survive override attempts. The bill was backed by Democrats and Democratic candidate Bill Clinton. DEBATE GOES ON AT DISTANCE: President Bush tried to tighten a political noose around Arkansas on Tuesday, dashing through the six states circling Bill Clinton's home to assail the Democrat's gubernatorial record. Bush proposed a debate between "candidate Clinton vs. Gov. Clinton." Clinton, at Michigan State University accused Bush of ducking debates because he's ashamed of his record. BUSH CAMPAIGN REFUSES MEETING: Even as President Bush and Bill Clinton tangled from the campaign trail, the Bush campaign turned down a new offer for a face-to-face meeting next week. The bipartisan commission on debates wants to hear by noon Wednesday whether both campaigns are willing to debate next Tuesday in Louisville, originally planned as the vice presidential face-off. Clinton's camp accepted the offer. SENATE PASSES CABLE BILL: Consumers won their best shot in years at getting cheaper and better cable television as the Senate on Tuesday broke a three-year log jam and sent to President Bush legislation that could revolutionize the cable industry. The Senate passed the bill 74-25. Supporters hope the numbers will hold together after an expected veto by Bush. He has vetoed 31 bills; none have been overidden. HOUSING STARTS MAKE CLIMB: Housing starts soared 10.4% in August - the first upbeat economic news in weeks. If they keep rising, starts could energize the economy. By buying carpets, furniture, paint and appliances, homebuilders and buyers support or create jobs in many industries. But experts say home construction won't keep up the torrid pace. A sign that starts may fizzle: Building permits fell1.6% last month. KISSINGER DENOUNCES POW CHARGES: Former Secretary of state Henry Kissinger, who brokered an end to the Vietnam War, denounced charges Tuesday that officials abandoned servicemen after the war. Before the Senate Select Committee on POW-MIA Affairs, Kissinger insisted officials sought a full accounting of POW-MIAs. But after the treaty was signed in 1973, he said there was little way to retaliate. JUDGE ORDERS TEACHERS TO RETURN: A federal judge Tuesday ordered public school teachers back to work in Detroit, ending a strike that kept 168,000 students out of school for four weeks. Circuit Judge Robert Colombo said the district's 10,500 teachers must return to work Thursday because the strike was causing "irreparable damage" to students. Teachers will meet Wednesday to decide whether to obey the judge's order. `MISTAKEN' PEROT WANTS BACK IN: Ross Perot, saying he "made a mistake" in July, is likely to rejoin the presidential race after an expected meeting with his petition drive leaders next week in Dallas. Those close to Perot suggest the gathering, which he's resisted until now, is telling. Perot told "CBS This Morning" Tuesday he's acting because President Bush and Bill Clinton "really didn't face the issues." COURT KNOCKS DOWN ABORTION BAN: A federal appeals court in Louisiana Tuesday struck down the state's strict ban on abortion as "clearly unconstitutional" under Roe vs. Wade. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Louisiana's law, passed in 1991, could not be enforced in the wake of the Supreme Court recent decision on abortion, allowing some restrictions on abortion. MAYOR PLAYS TOUGH WITH UNIONS: Philadelphia Mayor Edward Rendell says he'll impose tough cost cutting measures on city workers at 5 p.m. Tuesday if they don't accept his four-year contract offer. The 24,000 union workers, including garbage collectors and white collar workers, say they'll strike. Rendell wants to save $99 million a year in labor costs to help rescue the indebted city's finances. ANTON LEAVES L.A. SCHOOLS POST: Bill Anton, the first Latino to lead the nation's second-largest school district, resigned unexpectedly late Monday night as Los Angeles' superintendent. Anton, 68, leaves a school system drowning in a $400 million deficit, partly because of state cuts. Anton, whose brother, mother-in-law and father-in-law died within the past year, said: "It's time for me to smell the roses." AIR FORCE ABOLISHES CHECKLIST: Air Force officials Tuesday ordered its criminal investigators to stop using a controversial checklist to question women who report sexual assaults. Critics say the list is biased against rape victims. Air Force Secretary Donald Rice also ordered a full review of policies on sexual assault and harassment complaints to ensure "that investigative procedures and methods are bias-free." THREE CABINET MEMBERS CLEARED: Cabinet members Dick Cheney, Edward Madigan and Jack Kemp were notified they no longer are under investigation for writing bad checks at the House bank while they were in Congress. Lynn Martin expects to receive the so-called "clearance" letter soon, her spokesman said. Justice Department special counsel Malcolm Wilkey has told 187 House members they no longer are being investigated. TROPICAL STORM DANIELLE IS BORN: Tropical Storm Danielle sprang to life Tuesday 160 miles off Cape Hatteras, N.C., with top winds of 50 mph. Course: Parallel to the East Coast. It poses no immediate threat to land. Also, Tropical Storm Charley formed off Africa and Hurricane Bonnie was stationary off Newfoundland. In Hawaii, schools reopened on Kauai, 11 days after Hurricane Iniki. DOW JONES OPENS ON DOWNSWING: The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials opens at 3280.85 Wednesday after closing down 39.98 Tuesday. The New York Stock Exchange composite opens at 229.48, down 2.41. The American Stock Exchange market value opens at 380.99, down 1.73. The NASDAQ OTC composite opens at 583.99, down 5.58. NORTHEAST TO COOL CONSIDERABLY: An unseasonable chill will grip the Northeast and mid-Atlantic Wednesday, moving into the Southeast by evening. The northern and central Plains and upper Midwest can expect warm conditions. Showers and thunderstorms will douse the Gulf coast and southern Atlantic states. Remnants of Hurricane Seymour hits the Southwest, bringing thunderstorms to the Sierra Nevadas and northwest Utah. News Editor: Kate Coughlin. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution purposes violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM