GOP Demands White House Take IMF Fund Case To Public (fwd)

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

>{cngdaily@njdc.com} at 2/18/98 2:55 pm
>National Journal's CongressDaily
>Issue date:  February 18, 1998
>-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>
>TRADE
>GOP Demands White House Take IMF Fund Case To Public
>   Uncertain over how to proceed on the proposal to replenish the
>International Monetary Fund, Republican leaders agree on one
>thing: The plan does not stand a chance unless the White House
>makes a high profile appeal to the public. While administration
>officials have privately pressed members to support the $18
>billion package and have testified at a few committee hearings,
>Republicans want their efforts directed to the public. House
>Republican leaders, including Speaker Gingrich and Majority
>Leader Armey, told Treasury Secretary Rubin and Federal Reserve
>Chairman Greenspan at a meeting last week the administration
>needs to step up its public campaign. "Members going home to
>their districts don't have a lot to point to that this is worth
>spending their tax dollars on," said a House GOP aide. With most
>Americans unaware of the existence and role of the IMF, the
>prospect of giving a significant sum to an international aid
>organization has already been raised as a potential campaign
>issue: Another Republican aide added that this issue is
>particularly potent to the GOP's conservative base.
>   Even if the administration can whip up public support for the
>IMF, it still must address the attached abortion issue. Rubin
>repeatedly said last week the issues should be handled
>separately, but top House Republicans, led by Gingrich and Armey,
>pointedly told him at the meeting they would remain linked.
>Another problem is whether social conservatives, many generally
>opposed to foreign aid, will vote for replenishment even if they
>approve the abortion language.
>   All this uncertainty has slowed top Republicans from deciding
>on how to proceed. Banking Chairman Leach is set to mark up an
>authorization bill that includes IMF reforms, but any funds will
>need to be in a supplemental spending bill. There appears to be
>increasing momentum toward including the $3.5 billion already
>owed by the United States in that measure and dealing with the
>$14.5 billion quota increase later - but appropriators are
>beginning to get anxious for direction from the leadership. And
>with the administration so intent on passing the package,
>Republicans are using the rare leverage to address other
>priorities. "This is an issue where the president has to come to
>us ... we should be prepared to tell him what we want and we just
>haven't gotten to that point yet," said one House GOP aide.
>   Meanwhile, the administration seems to be gaining support
>among House Democrats. As long as IMF reforms are passed, labor
>and environmental conditions are included in the bailout plans,
>and the IMF follows through on them, there is the potential for
>70 to 80 percent Democratic support, according to one Democratic
>aide. Unions and members understand the potential for countries
>to try to export their way out of their financial troubles, the
>aide added.