IMF: Armey & Clinton, Sat. 3/14 (fwd)

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

House Republicans firm on IMF-abortion link-Armey
Date: Fri Mar 13 18:43:09 CST 1998
                                         
         WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - Despite White House
pleas, Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives
said on Friday they were committed to attaching anti-abortion
measures to an $18 billion package for the International Monetary
Fund. 
         "We're standing firm," U.S. House Majority Leader Dick
Armey told Reuters after a meeting of the House Republican
leadership. 
         "The administration really needs to determine what their
priorities are," the Texas Republican said. "Either they want IMF
funding or they want to continue using American tax dollars to
fund lobbying efforts against other nations' abortion laws." 
         Republicans in the House threw funding for the IMF and
the United Nations into serious jeopardy on Wednesday by vowing
to link the cash to the controversial anti-abortion provision. 
         The provision would ban U.S. funding to private or
multilateral institutions that lobby to change foreign laws
prohibiting abortion, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bob
Livingston said. 
         The measure killed funding for the IMF last November,
and could derail IMF and U.N. funding again this year because it
would drive away Democrats. 
         Since Wednesday's announcement, the Clinton
administration has repeatedly called on the Republicans to back
down. 
         The White House has threatened to veto the bill if it
contains the abortion language, even though the legislation would
meet its demands for $18 billion for the IMF and about $1 billion
toward U.S. arrears at the United Nations. 
         Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin said U.S. funding for
the IMF was needed to safeguard against global financial crises.
He said the IMF and abortion issues should be kept separate. 
         The IMF also stepped up its lobbying efforts on
Thursday.  Managing Director Michel Camdessus warned that the
lending agency needed the extra money to cope with any future
Asia-style financial crisis. 
         "Clearly, the IMF cannot continue to do its job -- in
Asia or elsewhere -- unless it has adequate resources," Camdessus
said. "I don't want to sound alarmist, but there are major risks
in the world economy." 
         But Armey made it clear that Republicans were not
backing down, and he called on Clinton to rethink his position if
he wanted the IMF money. 
         "It's in their court," Armey said, referring to the
Clinton administration. "We've got Congressional objectives.
(Clinton's) saying give me everything I want and never mind what
you want." 
         Armey predicted the American public would support the
Republicans, despite administration warnings that the economy and
U.S. leadership in the world were at stake. 
         "I don't think the American people want their tax
dollars funding overseas lobbying in other nations with respect
to their abortion laws," Armey said. 
                
 
                
Clinton implies possible veto of IMF bill
Date: Sat Mar 14 11:22:24 CST 1998
                                         
         WASHINGTON, March 14 (Reuters) - President Clinton
warned Congress on Saturday it would be "unwise" to add
controversial amendments to a funding bill for the International
Monetary Fund and the United Nations, indicating it may lead to a
veto. 
         Republican congressional leaders announced earlier in
the week that they planned to add anti-abortion provisions to the
emergency funding bill, which also includes funding for U.S.
troops in the Gulf near Iraq and in Bosnia, as well as providing
disaster assistance for storm victims around the United States. 
         There also is an effort to attach restrictions on the
Federal Communications Commission that would keep it from
providing political candidates with free time on television to
present their views. 
         "These emergency measures are vital to the national
interest," Clinton said in his weekly radio address to the
nation. "They have broad bipartisan support. 
         "But unfortunately, some in Congress are preparing to
slip unrelated, controversial provisions into the bill --
proposals guaranteed to produce gridlock and delay," Clinton
warned. 
         New Jersey Republican Rep. Christopher Smith, an ardent
abortion foe in Congress, has been leading efforts to insert into
the measure bans on U.S. funding to private or multilateral
institutions that lobby to change foreign laws prohibiting 
abortion. 
         Clinton noted that last year he vetoed funding
legislation when the Republican- controlled Congress attached
conditions to it that he found unacceptable. 
         "Last year, when Congress tried to attach partisan
measures to similar disaster legislation, I said, no," Clinton
said. "Congress would be unwise to head down that same road
again." 
         The comments amounted to Clinton's strongest public
signal that he would wield his veto powers if the amendments were
added to the bill. 
         "These unrelated issues, whatever side you have on them,
absolutely have no place on emergency legislation," Clinton said.
"Congress shouldn't hold emergency aid for families hostage to
controversial provisions. 
         "Congress shouldn't demand ransom to maintain America's
world leadership and meet America's responsibility to our own
national security," he said. 
         The funding package would provide $18 billion to the IMF
to help replenish resources drained by multibillion-dollar rescue
packages for Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand. 
         Without a cash boost, IMF officials say the agency might
not be able to respond to future crises. A cash injection only
takes effect after a majority of member nations approve the
funds, so countries are likely to wait for Washington to make up
its mind before they take action. 
         And $1 billion in funding for the United Nations is
designed to pay off back debts. The U.S. debt to the United
Nations at the end of 1997 was $1.3 billion for regular dues and
peacekeeping expenses. It is expected to rise to $1.7 billion in 
1998.