Glickman to Replace Espy As Secretary of Agriculture

PRESIDENT Clinton has chosen veteran congressman Rep. Dan Glickman (D) of Kansas to serve as his agriculture secretary. Mr. Glickman, who lost his bid for reelection in November, was to be named to the Cabinet yesterday.

He will replace Mike Espy, a former Mississippi congressman who resigned after an independent prosecutor began examining gifts Mr. Espy received from individuals and firms doing business with the Agriculture Department.

Glickman served on the House Agriculture Committee and helped push through a bill that reorganized the Agriculture Department. He also fought to focus farm subsidy programs on low- and middle-income farmers. He comes to the department as it is being forced to trim its staff by 11,000 and cut spending up to $3.5 billion.

Rush for Agent Orange claims

THOUSANDS of Vietnam veterans who say they were harmed by Agent Orange are rushing to meet a Saturday deadline for claiming the remnants of a multimillion-dollar compensation fund. The toxic, vegetation-destroying chemical was sprayed in Vietnam by US military aircraft to make it difficult for enemy soldiers to hide and find food. Veterans said it caused serious illnesses and produced birth defects in their children.

Veterans and their families reached a $184-million settlement in a class-action lawsuit 10 years ago against makers of Agent Orange. About $21 million has not been claimed.

@HEADBRIEF = Dole backs more TV coverage

CONGRESS should be opened to greater TV coverage, possibly with cameras operated by news organizations, incoming Senate majority leader Bob Dole of Kansas said in a letter Tuesday to Brian Lamb, head of the C-Span public-affairs cable channel. C-Span now carries the floor action live.

Mr. Lamb said Tuesday that both Mr. Dole and incoming House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R) of Georgia replied positively to a request to improve TV access, but a major outstanding issue is whether news organizations can gain control of cameras (now operated by congressional employees) ``so we get a true journalistic view of the proceedings,'' Lamb said.

The focus now is almost always on the person speaking, with no reaction shots or views of the rest of the chamber. Dole said he would suggest that the Senate Rules Committee consult with C-Span and network news officials.

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