National Desk

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

WASHINGTON


RANGEL SAYS HE ‘WOULD NOT MISS’ LIEBERMAN


A Democratic congressman from New York, Rep. Charles Rangel, said yesterday that the Senate would “not miss” a Democratic senator and former vice presidential candidate from Connecticut, Senator Lieberman, if he left Congress for a job in the Republican Bush administration.


Responding to speculation that Mr. Lieberman, a strong and outspoken defender of the Iraq war, could at some point be asked to replace the secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, Mr. Rangel told a New York-area regional news network, RNNTV: “He’s a longtime friend. I admire and respect him. If he was to leave the Senate and join the administration, as a Democrat, he will not be missed.”


President Clinton crossed parties by replacing his second secretary of defense, William Perry, with a former Republican senator from Maine, William Cohen. And while Mr. Bush has defended Mr. Rumsfeld against criticism about his handling of the war, there is wide expectation that some of his cabinet members will leave office soon.


Mr. Bush made an open show of affection for Mr. Lieberman following his State of the Union address in January by embracing the Democratic senator and kissing him on the cheek. He also thanked Mr. Lieberman for his strong support of the war effort during a nationally televised speech at the U.S. Naval Academy last week.


– Staff Reporter of the Sun


HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEAL BUSH IMMIGRATION SETBACK


House Republicans delivered a blow yesterday to President Bush’s plan for comprehensive immigration reform. The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. James Sensenbrenner, introduced enforcement-based legislation.


The bill, which aims to prevent illegal immigration by increased workplace regulation and border vigilance, married a plan introduced by Rep. Peter King, a Republican of New York. It would not provide legal status to any illegal immigrants already in the country or foreign workers wishing to come here.


In introducing the legislation, Mr. Sensenbrenner, a Republican of Wisconsin, indicated his support for a temporary visa program, which the president has said is crucial to stem the flow of illegal immigration. The country, however, is not ready for it, he said.


“I believe it is wise to move cautiously on any guest worker proposal. Currently, we do not have a clear consensus on what a guest worker program should look like,” Mr. Sensenbrenner said in a statement. “In addition, while significant progress is being made, providing legal immigrants with the timely, efficient, and professional treatment that they deserve remains unfinished business.”


– Staff Reporter of the Sun


RACISM PLAYED PART IN KATRINA RESPONSE, VICTIMS TELL CONGRESS


Black survivors of Hurricane Katrina said yesterday that racism contributed to the slow disaster response, at times likening themselves in emotional congressional testimony to victims of genocide and the Holocaust.


The comparison is inappropriate, according to Rep. Jeff Miller, a Republican of Florida. “Not a single person was marched into a gas chamber and killed,” Mr. Miller told the survivors.


“They died from abject neglect,” a community activist, Leah Hodges retorted. “We left body bags behind.”


Angry evacuees described being trapped in temporary shelters, where one New Orleans resident said she was “one sunrise from being consumed by maggots and flies.” Another woman said military troops focused machine gun laser targets on her granddaughter’s forehead. Others said their families were called racial epithets by police.


“No one is going to tell me it wasn’t a race issue,” New Orleans evacuee Patricia Thompson, 53, who is now living in College Station, Texas, said. “Yes, it was an issue of race. Because of one thing: When the city had pretty much been evacuated, the people that were left there mostly was black.”


Not all lawmakers seemed persuaded.


“I don’t want to be offensive when you’ve gone though such incredible challenges,” Rep. Christopher Shays, a Republican of Connecticut, said. But referring to some of the victims’ charges, like the gun pointed at the girl, Mr. Shays said: “I just don’t frankly believe it.”


– Associated Press


HIGH COURT SEEMS SUPPORTIVE OF MILITARY RECRUITING AT UNIVERSITIES


The Supreme Court appeared ready yesterday to rule against colleges that want to limit military recruiting on campus to protest the Pentagon’s policy on gays.


Chief Justice Roberts and other court members signaled support for a law that says schools that accept federal money also have to accommodate military recruiters. The justices seemed concerned about hindering a Defense Department need to fill its ranks when the nation is at war.


“There’s the right in the Constitution to raise a military,” Chief Justice Roberts said. Law school campuses have become the latest battleground over the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy allowing gay men and women to serve in the military only if they keep their sexual orientation to themselves.


A group of law schools and professors had sued the Pentagon, claiming their free speech rights are being violated because they are forced to associate with military recruiters or promote their campus appearances.


– Associated Press


BUSH OBSERVES AN EARLY CHANUKAH


President Bush helped light a 38-inch gold and bronze menorah, which was loaned to the White House by the Park Synagogue of Cleveland. He said the nation is grateful to American troops of all faiths who are away from their families this holiday season.


“We are grateful for our freedoms as Americans, especially the freedom to worship,” he said. “We are grateful that freedom is spreading to still new regions of the world, and we pray that those who still live in the darkness of tyranny will some day see the light of freedom.”


– Associated Press


WEST


SURVIVORS, SAILORS TO OBSERVE PEARL HARBOR ANNIVERSARY


PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – Survivors of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 64 years ago were expected to join sailors, community leaders and guests today in observing the anniversary of the assault.


The crowd is to observe a moment of silence at 7:55 a.m. – the moment the attack began in 1941. A U.S. Navy ship will honor the USS Arizona, which lies submerged in Pearl Harbor with the bodies of hundreds of sailors still aboard. The Hawaii Air National Guard will fly F-15s in formation over the harbor.


The Navy’s chief uniformed officer, Admiral Michael Mullen, will address the crowd along with Senator Inouye, Democrat of Hawaii, who saw and heard Japanese planes drop bombs on Oahu as a teenager in Honolulu.


– Associated Press


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