-Caveat Lector- Committee vote keeps School of the Americas open 09/23/1999 Nolan Walters Staff Writer WASHINGTON Fort Benning's controversial School of the Americas got another year's reprieve Wednesday after members of a Senate-House conference committee voted not to cut funding for the school. The key vote was an 8-to-7 decision by House members of the conference committee not to pursue the funding cuts against the school -- even though the full House had voted in favor of the cuts by a 33-vote margin in July. All those voting to preserve the school's funding were Republicans, although one Republican voted with six Democratic opponents of the school. School of Americas officials were thrilled when told that they and their school had survived by the narrowest of margins. "We did? Hey!" shouted School of the Americas spokesman Nicholas Britto when told by phone of the favorable vote. Minutes later and out of breath from passing along word of victory to the headquarters staff, Britto said, "We are very excited, and we feel that finally the American people, through Congress, have decided that the school is needed, and we're happy that it is over," he said. Long-time opponents of the school, however, said that their campaign to close the school -- as the foremost symbol of what they say is a misguided U.S. policy in Latin America -- is far from over. The opponents say the school has trained murderers and other human rights violators who oppress their own people. The U.S. Army says the school is helping to spread respect for human rights. "This was disappointing. But we knew that we had to keep on doing what we were doing anyway," said Carol Richardson, co-director and Washington director of the protest group School of Americas Watch. "If anything, this will energize everybody," she said. "And next year, we've got to get a straight up or down vote on it. We can't mess around with this behind-the-scenes thing." Using similar words, Rep. Joe Moakley, D-Mass., the congressional leader of school opponents, said, "I'm very disappointed, but I'm not surprised." "More people are paying attention to this thing all the time, and someday we'll get it closed," said Moakley, who'd introduced the original legislation to cut the school's money. School supporter Rep. Mac Collins, R-Hampton, whose district includes Fort Benning, agreed that the fight isn't over. "We still have a long way to go" to ensure the school's continued safety. But for now, he added, "That's good." The key vote came shortly after the beginning of a Wednesday afternoon meeting in a crowded conference room of the Capitol as tourists milled about just yards away. Members of both the House and Senate were meeting to work out differences in their versions of next year's spending bills for foreign operations -- which included about $2 million for the school. The House had voted 230-197 in July to cut the fund that pays for foreign students to come to the school. It was the first conclusive House vote against the school. The Senate, however, never took up the issue of the school, so its version of next year's foreign operations spending plan maintained the same level as before for the School of the Americas. This was but one of dozens of differences between the Senate and House versions of the spending bill that the conference committee had to resolve. The vote itself took only a couple minutes. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., an opponent of the school, was preparing to make a motion for the Senate members to vote on accepting the House position -- that is, cutting the school's funding. But before he could act, Rep. Sonny Callahan, R-Mobile, Ala., the chairman of the House appropriations subcommittee on foreign affairs and a school supporter, beat him to the punch. He persuaded the House members themselves to ignore the vote of the House and accept the Senate's position -- thereby leaving funding unchanged. Callahan said that if the money were cut from the foreign operations budget that the Pentagon would probably shift money from another fund and nothing would change at the school. However, Callahan warned the committee members that they would be giving away control over the program by doing so. "That seems to take some of the wind out of their sails," said Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah, the only Georgian on the conference committee and a supporter of the school. After the vote, Leahy seemed to agree, saying that "the Pentagon would just stick it (the money) back in another program." He also said that a straight up-or-down vote on the school might be the best course for opponents. But that isn't likely to happen at least until next year. Voting to sustain the earlier House vote to cut the school's funding were: Reps. John Porter, R-Ill., Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., Dale Kildee, D-Mich., Martin Sabo, D-Minn., and David Obey, D-Wis. Vote not to sustain the House vote and maintain funding for the school were: Callahan, Frank Wolf, R-Va., Ron Packard, R-Calif., Joseph Knollenberg, R-Mich., Kingston, Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Bill Young, R-Fla. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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