EMERSON REMAINS UNDECIDED ON FAST-TRACK

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson remains undecided on the fast-track trade-negotiation authority, but admits she is leaning toward support of the measure.

"I have been agonizing over the measure," said Emerson during a visit to Southeast Missouri Tuesday. "I'm not totally positive about the trade initiative."

However, the Cape Girardeau Republican said the fast-track measure could be important to some of Southeast Missouri's biggest industries -- agriculture and Procter & Gamble Paper Products Co.

Emerson may have plenty of time to make up her mind: The final vote was postponed Monday.

"It probably won't come around again for a while," said Emerson, who attended Veterans Day programs at Cape Girardeau Central High School and Freedom Corner in Cape Girardeau Tuesday.

Under fast-track authority, Congress can vote yes or no on trade agreements negotiated by the president, but it can't modify them. Presidents of both parties have had such authority for more than two decades, but the measure has lapsed.

The measure had wide bipartisan support in the Senate, including support from Republicans Sens. John Ashcroft and Christopher ("Kit") Bond. Republicans in the House are in general support of the measure, but many Democratic representatives have balked at the measure, including Missourians Dick Gephardt, Karen McCarthy, William L. Clay and Pat Danner.

Democratic Rep. Ike Skelton supported the measure, along with Republican Rep. Kenny Hulshoff.

At last count, Missouri Republican Reps. Roy Blunt and Jim Talent joined Emerson with "undecided" status.

The vote has been postponed "indefinitely," and some legislators have indicated they will introduce new trade bills.

Gephardt, House minority leader from St. Louis, has been one of the most-mentioned opponents of the fast-track measures, and has indicated that he will introduced a new bill Thursday.

Senate Finance Committee chairman, Sen. William Roth, R-Del., has indicated that he would introduce a fast-track proposal focusing on specific sectors in which America has huge competitive advantages -- such as agriculture and information technology -- as an alternative to the sweeping negotiating powers that President Clinton was unable to get this week.

Clinton, who had the backing of Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich on the issue, told the Associated Press that the issue "is not dead."

Clinton still has limited maneuvering room as he prepares for a meeting with some of America's most important trading partners in the coming weeks. Clinton does have authority to complete some negotiations that had been started under the Uruguay Round trade sessions, the last comprehensive global trade talks.

While the current negotiating authority covers a few other areas such as chemicals and forest products, it doesn't cover an important set of negotiations on agriculture, services outside of the financial area and government contracts that are scheduled to get under way in 1999 in Geneva.