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AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAM UPHELD IN U.S. SENATE VOTE.


Byline: Lawrence M. O'Rourke Scripps-McClatchy Western Service

In the first congressional test this year for affirmative action affirmative action, in the United States, programs to overcome the effects of past societal discrimination by allocating jobs and resources to members of specific groups, such as minorities and women. , the Senate on Friday voted to continue a 15-year-old program that helps women and minorities win federal contracts to build and repair highways.

The Senate voted 58-37 to retain a provision first signed into law by President Reagan that sets aside 10 percent of federal highway money for bidding by traditionally underrepresented un·der·rep·re·sent·ed  
adj.
Insufficiently or inadequately represented: the underrepresented minority groups, ignored by the government. 
 groups.

``This program is about assuring every American, regardless of their background, wherever they are from, that they will have a fair chance as small-business owners to participate in this very important highway program,'' Sen. Barbara Boxer Barbara Levy Boxer (born November 11, 1940) is an American politician and the current junior U.S. Senator from the State of California.

A member of the Democratic Party, Boxer was first elected to the U.S.
, D-Calif., told the Senate.

``This program is so flexible that no state has ever been fined, no state has ever been reprimanded for not meeting the goal, because there is no quota; there is a goal,'' Boxer boxer, breed of medium-sized, muscular working dog perfected in Germany in the 19th cent. but whose origins may be traced back in Europe to the 16th cent. It stands from 21 to 25 in. (53.3–63.5 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 60 to 75 lb (27.  said.

But Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who led the fight to end the set-aside program, said it gives women and minorities a clear preference that violates the constitutional guarantee of equal protection of the law equal protection of the law n. the right of all persons to have the same access to the law and courts, and to be treated equally by the law and courts, both in procedures and in the substance of the law. .

``It's clear that preference programs are going to die hard in this country,'' McConnell said after the vote. ``The people and the courts are ahead of Congress on race-based preferences.''

Voting to retain the program were 43 Democrats - including Boxer and Sen. Dianne Feinstein Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein (born June 22, 1933) is the senior U.S. Senator from California, having held office as a senator since 1992. She is a member of the Democratic Party. , D-Calif. - and 15 Republicans. Voting to kill the advantage were 36 Republicans and one Democrat.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi, who urged his fellow Republicans to start ending affirmative action programs, said: ``The American people An American people may be:
  • any nation or ethnic group of the Americas
  • see Demographics of North America
  • see Demographics of South America
 do feel strongly about it. They oppose quotas and set-asides and timetables.''

Asked why almost all Democrats and 15 Republicans supported construction set-asides, Lott said, ``Maybe it will take an election to get them in tune with America.''

The set-aside program is part of the bill to spend $173 billion on highway construction and repair over the next six years.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., a supporter of set-asides, pointed out that Reagan agreed to the idea 15 years ago after government efforts failed to reach goals for participation in highway projects by companies owned by women, as well as racial and ethnic minorities.

To kill the program, said Kennedy, would return the highway construction business to ``the good old boys' club.''

Boxer said new rules for the program require that all participants must be economically disadvantaged, even if they are women or minority group members.

``Wealthy individuals, whether they are white, whether they are black, whether they are brown, whether they are women, none of them can participate in the program if they are not disadvantaged,'' Boxer said.

Her description of the program was challenged by Sen. John Ashcroft John David Ashcroft (born May 9 1942) is an American politician who was the 79th United States Attorney General. He served during the first term of President George W. Bush from 2001 until 2005. Ashcroft was previously the Governor of Missouri (1985 – 1993) and a U.S. , R-Mo., who said the set-aside program ``would allow the Sultan SULTAN. The title of the Turkish sovereign and other Mahometan princes.  of Brunei, the richest man in the world, to be considered economically disadvantaged.''
COPYRIGHT 1998 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 1998, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Mar 7, 1998
Words:471
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