Washington news briefs for June 23, 2000

Friday, June 23, 2000 | 11:28 a.m.

Reid looks to end 'dowry deaths'

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is pursuing a legislative strategy to end "honor killings" and "dowry deaths" in foreign nations.

Honor killings, which occur mostly in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, involve husbands murdering their wives when they believe the wives have wronged or shamed them, such as by infidelity.

Dowry deaths occur mostly in India when a husband tortures or slays his spouse because her family would not or could not produce money for the marriage.

Reid introduced an amendment to a foreign operations bill that would provide money for the Secretary of State to meet with foreign officials in an attempt to end the cultural practices. He and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., joined Patricia Ireland of the National Organization for Women on Thursday to announce the initiative.

Anti-terrorism school considered

The Nevada Test Site is one of three locations that would be considered for a national counter-terrorism school, according to a new House bill.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., pushed to include the test site in a bill that also proposes sites in Maryland and Alabama.

"The Nevada Test Site is an ideal place for this facility because of its size, security, remoteness, infrastructure and institutional history as a defense operations proving ground," Berkley said.

The bill passed the House Committee on Transportation and now heads to the House floor for a vote.

Hoover Dam coins may be minted

A House committee this week passed a bill that would allow the Bureau of Reclamation to use scrap copper to mint Hoover Dam coins.

The sale of the coins, estimated to fetch roughly $5 million, would be used to offset some of the debt left on the $125 million Hoover Dam Visitor Center, completed five years ago at roughly $90 million over budget.

Las Vegas area gains water control

The House Resources Committee voted to transfer a key part of the Las Vegas water delivery system from federal to local control.

The Robert B. Griffith Water Project would be transferred from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Southern Nevada Water Authority. The bureau has operated the Griffith pumps and reservoirs since it was first authorized by Congress in 1965. The local water authority was established in 1991.

"Clark County's ability to provide water to customers should no longer be hampered by a federal agency," Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., said.

Those proposals now heads to the floor for a full House vote. The Senate already has passed the Griffith transfer.