REPUBLICANS STRESS 'QUALITY OF LIFE' FOR 1998

WASHINGTON (Reuters) Congressional Republicans hope to press ahead next
year with their agenda including fighting crime, changing the tax code, and
reforming the Internal Revenue Service, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate
said Saturday.

Oklahoma Sen. Don Nickles said that his party had achieved some of its
goals in the past year and would continue "to improve Americans' quality of
life."

In the weekly Republican radio address, Nickles reviewed some of the work
done by Congress in the 1997 session, which ended Thursday night. He said
the high points included the balanced budget agreement and tax cuts.

Next year, goals would include IRS reform because "abuses by the IRS are
DOA in a Republican Congress," he said.

"No lawabiding American should live in fear of government," he said. He
also called for revision of a tax code, created by Congress, that is so
complex "it is hard not to make mistakes."

He said Republicans would stress education, including making schools safer.
Crimefighting was also a priority.

"Republicans will fight to put violent offenders behind bars, prevent
criminals from buying guns, and clean up the juvenile justice system," he
said.

Nickles said that illegal drug use "has dramatically increased among high
school students" during the Clinton administration. He said Republicans
would work to reduce teen drug abuse as well as teen smoking next year.