THE WEEK: MARCH 19-25

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NATION

Saddam Takes Prisoners

Last Saturday, two Americans, David Daliberti of Jacksonville, Florida, and William Barloon of New Hampton, Iowa, were each sentenced to eight years in prison by an Iraqi court for illegally entering Iraq. The U.S. condemned the sentences, arguing that the two men, both employees of U.S. defense contractors in Kuwait, strayed over the border accidentally. The Iraqi action comes just as the U.S. is preparing to support a U.N. resolution permitting Saddam to sell more oil--so long as at least 50% of the proceeds go to humanitarian relief and the rest to compensate Gulf War victims and the U.N. for its monitoring. The sentences, some analysts say, may be Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's attempt to gain leverage in the negotiations.

Welfare Overhaul Passes

The House of Representatives approved by a vote of 234 to 199 the G.O.P.'s basic "Contract with America" plan to overhaul welfare. Passage came after one of the most raucous and vituperative debates of the new Congress, during which angry Democrats accused Republicans of rushing to passage a cruel and immoral plan, and infuriated Republicans blasted Democrats for trying to preserve a failed and unconscionable system. The bill, which now goes to the Senate, would convert current welfare entitlement programs into capped block grants to the states.

The Power of the Pen

The Senate voted 69 to 29 to give President Clinton a prerogative he and previous Chief Executives have long desired: a line-item veto over spending legislation. Opponents of the G.O.P.-sponsored measure argued that it gives away too much congressional power and may even be unconstitutional.

A Tax-Break Bite

Bitten by Democratic attacks characterizing the G.O.P.'s tax-cut package as a huge giveaway to the rich, nearly half the House's 230 Republicans petitioned their leadership to scale back the scope of the breaks. The dissidentsasked that the plan's $500-a-child annual tax credit be limited to families earning up to $95,000, down from the $200,000 proposed.

Shielding the Flag

Conservative Senators and Representatives reintroduced a proposal to protect the American flag from desecration. The measure enjoys broad bipartisan support but also strong opposition from some lawmakers who are concerned about tinkering with the right of free speech.

Dole: Affirmative on Action

Senate majority leader Bob Dole--once a defender and now critic of affirmative action--continued to be tripped up by the apparent contradictions of his record. In the mid-1980s, Dole tried to help a black former aide benefit from a small-business affirmative-action program that he now wants to scrap. Dole's office explained that the Senator tries to make sure "constituents are treated fairly while working to change the system."

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