Reprinted from The Washington Times , 5am -- April 29, 1998
TOP POLITICAL STORY
GOP rallies on selection to college
By Ralph Z. Hallow
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
H
ouse Republican leaders, in an uncharacteristic display of unity over a sensitive social issue, voted yesterday to push for passage today of a measure to ban race and sex preferences in university admissions.
A vigorous and partisan fight is expected to ensue when the move, in the form of an amendment to the Higher Education Bill, comes to the House floor for debate, possibly this afternoon.
The Clinton administration, after learning of the GOP leadership decision made in a private meeting yesterday afternoon, "blast-faxed" to all House members a three-page statement of opposition. It was signed by Attorney General Janet Reno and Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley.
Under the amendment, universities and colleges would no longer be able to give preference to blacks and Hispanics over more qualified whites and Asians, proponents of the measure said at a morning press conference at the Capitol.
The GOP leadership in Congress has been cautious of supporting measures that risk alienating blacks, Hispanics or women, three voter subgroups the party has been courting with so-far disappointing results.
But for several reasons, including energizing constituent support for their fall re-election campaigns, the top four House GOP leaders yesterday agreed to "whip" the measure -- that is, pressure and cajole fellow Republicans to vote for the amendment, sponsored by Rep. Frank Riggs, California Republican.
"We must focus on equality of opportunity and not mandate equality of results," Mr. Riggs said, adding that his legislation "parallels at the federal level Proposition 209," the ballot initiative that Californians approved in 1996, banning preferences in admissions to state schools and in state government hiring and promotions.
The Reno-Riley statement, however, argued that the Riggs amendment "is far more sweeping than Proposition 209" because it "aims to eliminate affirmative action in private, as well as public, colleges and universities."
The administration letter also argues that the Riggs measure "would deter institutions from considering race, even for the limited purposes of remedying past discrimination" and that it "appears to require private women's colleges to admit men."
Rep. Dick Armey of Texas, the majority leader, was on board for Mr. Riggs' amendment early on, co-signing an April 24 letter to fellow House Republicans that urged a yes vote.
Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas, the minority whip, was also an early supporter, along with Rep. John A. Boehner of Ohio, the House GOP Conference secretary.
Most heartening for conservative backbenchers was the support that came yesterday from House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, who for tactical reasons has been cool toward more sweeping proposals, such as one offered by Rep. Charles T. Canady, Florida Republican, to ban preferences throughout the government.
On April 1, however, Mr. Gingrich did support a proposal by Rep. Marge Roukema, New Jersey Republican, to repeal a program that requires states to set aside 10 percent of highway contracts for businesses owned by minorities or women.
But the Roukema measure failed 225-194, because 29 Republicans voted against it, including Rep. J.C. Watts of Oklahoma and two Hispanic-American lawmakers from Florida.
One sure GOP vote against the Riggs amendment will come from Mr. Watts, the only black Republican in Congress.
"Although he opposes race and sex-based quotas and preferences, he feels the Riggs bill is the right idea being presented at the wrong time," said Pam Pryor, Mr. Watts' spokeswoman.
Mr. Gingrich shared this concern up to a point, which explained his opposition to the Canady bill.
But neither the speaker nor the rest of the GOP leadership disputes polls that show racial and sexual preferences are highly unpopular with the electorate.
At the press conference yesterday, Mr. Riggs noted that a recent poll by John Zogby found that 87 percent of likely voters, including 76 percent of likely black voters, "believe that race should not be a factor in admission to a public university or college." Mr. Zogby is a liberal Democrat.Copyright 1998 News World Communications, Inc.
Reprinted with permission of
The Washington Times.
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