EMERSON SAYS GOP WON'T PUNISH WAYWARD REPS

Republicans in Congress who didn't support the re-election of Newt Gingrich as House speaker won't be punished, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson said Wednesday.

"Newt is not like that," Emerson said in a telephone conference call to 8th District reporters. "He doesn't take this personally at all."

Emerson was sworn in Tuesday to succeed her late husband, Bill Emerson, who served as 8th District congressman for 16 years.

Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, then joined 215 other House members in voting for Gingrich.

She said Gingrich's apology for violating House ethics rules and being too brash in his first term as speaker was well received by his colleagues.

"I thought his speech set a good tone," Emerson said. But she said it remains to be seen how effective Gingrich can be as speaker for the next two years.

"We need to see what the ethics committee has to say; what sort of punishment he receives," Emerson said.

Emerson spoke about a wide range of issues.

She said the nation needs to reform campaign finances. But she said she doesn't believe government should fund political campaigns.

She opposes the use of "soft money" in political campaigns. Corporations, labor unions and other organizations currently dump money into political advertising that doesn't come under federal campaign restrictions.

Emerson said she would like to eliminate the loophole in campaign finance laws.

But the congresswoman said campaign finance reform could prove difficult on Capitol Hill.

"It is one of those cases where I think you almost have to take politicians out of it," she said.

Emerson said she opposes doctor-assisted suicide.

She said she supports efforts in Congress to prevent federal funding of doctor-assisted suicides.

The U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday heard oral arguments in two assisted-suicide cases.

Emerson said she hopes to open a district office in St. Francois County by at least mid-February.

Emerson has seats on the House transportation and agriculture committees.

She said Congress will write a new federal highway bill this spring.

Highway improvements are important for Southeast Missouri's economy, she said. "I can think of nothing more important than the infrastructure in our district as far as creating a better climate for jobs."