Passing Bills and Winning Points

By Candy Crowley/CNN

WASHINGTON (April 18) -- Legislation and politics are virtually inseparable on Capitol Hill, but during an election year, they're indistinguishable.

For the next few months, one way that Sen. Robert Dole, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, will define himself is with a legislative agenda that shows he can get things done.

There is, for example, a bill taken up by the Senate to help people keep insurance when they change jobs or get sick

"We're pleased to be supporting that legislation," Dole said. "It contains the kind of reforms the Republicans have been talking about (83K WAV sound)."

The majority leader will offer a controversial amendment on medical savings accounts, but win or lose on that, if health care reform passes, you can chalk up a political point for Dole.

This is a relatively small health care bill, compared with the mammoth, ill-fated health care reform plan that Hillary Rodham Clinton put together. And don't think you won't hear that comparison made on the campaign trail.

Still, the legislative arena is a two-edged sword. Dole may control the agenda, but he cannot control the discussion. At one news conference on health care, a reporter asked him: "When are you going to schedule a vote on the minimum wage?"

Dole, who didn't look too happy, wouldn't change the subject. "Right now we're on health care," he said (83K WAV sound).

Whether he wants to talk about it or not, and Dole doesn't, an increase in the $4.25-an-hour minimum wage is out there. He blocked one vote on a 90-cent Democratic increase, only to see some renegade Republicans offer their own plan for a $1 boost.

It's a perfect political issue for Democrats, legislation with working-class appeal. Dole will have to deal with it, or be pounded daily as no friend of working Americans.

There are ways he can do it.

"What Senator Dole will have to do is say, if you want minimum wage, fine, we'll take that up, but we'll also take up a work requirement on welfare reform as part of minimum wage," said Sen. William Cohen (R-Maine)."He's got to find an issue which Republicans also feel as equally strong about as Democrats do about minimum wage (182K WAV sound)."

This kind of jockeying will be the hallmark of the next few months. The majority leader will play to Republican strong suits, including a balanced budget, welfare reform, reforms in entitlement programs and anti-crime legislation.

A good example of the last is the anti-terrorism bill the Senate passed on Wednesday and which cleared Congress today. At a news conference, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) gave a nod to Dole's efforts.

"This bill was passed overwhelmingly and I think I would feel very sorry if I didn't thank him," Hatch said.

"And I would, too," Dole said with a laugh.

Legislative victories will speak for themselves, but if he loses, Dole will have to do the talking.

Sen. Cohen suggested one possible approach. "He can go to the American people and say, 'This is the direction I want to take the country. The Democrats won't allow me to do that, so I'm hoping you'll put me in the White House with a Republican majority,' " Cohen said. "So it's not a negative if he can't pass it, but he has to work to attempt to pass it."

Medicare and Medicaid reform will be the trickiest issues for Dole. They are top items on the Republican agenda, and he cannot afford to ignore them.

Still, the Clinton Administration has enjoyed brilliant success framing itself as the last protection against harsh Republican cuts. Somehow Dole must find a way to reframe the issue.

This story originally appeared on Inside Politics.

Dole Sets Out A D.C. Agenda -- March 21, 1996

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Passing Bills and Winning Points

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