TOBACCO LEGISLATION AT RISK AFTER CLASH

WASHINGTON - Prospects for tobacco legislation seemed in jeopardy yesterday
after a confrontation over how to spend the billions of dollars that would
be raised by a cigarette tax caused angry senators to abandon their debate.

The clash was over the so-called "marriage-penalty" tax, which causes some
couples to pay more income taxes if they get married. But Democrats say the
real issue is that Republicans want to drag out the debate with countless
amendments until the tobacco bill dies.

In a surprise move, Democrats called for a vote Monday on cutting off all
debate on the bill. Such a motion is not likely to pass but sends a clear
message to GOP senators that Democrats are serious about picking up the
pace of tobacco legislation or making it a campaign issue in the fall.

"I will take whatever action necessary to expedite this legislation," said
Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D. "Unless we take this to a conclusion, all the
thousands of hours we've spent will be for naught."

Daschle's motion to force a Senate vote on cutting off debate, known as
cloture, caused Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., to rush to the
floor to denounce the Democrats.

"I do think the well has been poisoned by what has happened here," said Lott.

The shift of the Senate debate from tobacco to taxes began last week when
Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, introduced an amendment that would use proceeds
from a $1.10-a-pack increase in cigarette prices to give a tax cut to all
couples making less than $50,000.

Democrats want the money to go to smoking research, tobacco farmers, state
governments and health programs. But they recognize that eliminating the
marriage penalty is extremely popular with voters and introduced a more
modest version.

Democrats say Gramm's proposal is so broad it gives a tax cut even to
couples who pay less taxes after marriage than they would if they filed
singly - another quirk of the tax code.

Unless the senators can come to a compromise on the marriage penalty, they
will vote on Daschle's cloture motion Monday. It is unlikely to pass, but
several Democratic senators suggested they will force repeated cloture
votes to convince the public that the Republicans are obstructing tobacco
legislation - which Democrats believe would hurt Republicans in the
November elections.

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)