Washington news briefs for March 6, 2001

Tuesday, March 6, 2001 | 12:07 p.m.

Gibbons to head on antidrug tour

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., leaves Thursday for a trip to Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador to assess America's sizeable investment in the drug war.

Three senators and three representatives will make the four-day trip. They include Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fl., chairman of the House Committee on Intelligence and Gibbons, who last week was named chairman of the Intelligence Committee's panel on Human Intelligence, analysis and counterintelligence.

The lawmakers will meet with ambassadors, military leaders and possibly the presidents of the three nations, a spokesman for Rep. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., who also will make the trip, said today.

Congress last year approved a controversial two-year, $1.3 billion plan that would pay for training Colombia antidrug units and U.S. military power, including 45 helicopters, two gunships and intelligence gathering technology. The money would also refurbish an airport in Ecuador for the antidrug activities.

Resort association hires Bryan

The Nevada Resort Association has signed a high-profile hired gun to help them plot a plan of attack against an IRS campaign to raise taxes on tips that would hurt Nevada casino workers. The lobbying outfit hired former Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., who has battled similar initiatives as a lawmaker. Bryan, who retired from the Senate when his term ended last year, is now working for the Las Vegas law firm Lionel Sawyer & Collins.

"I've been retained to come on board and help them with strategy," Bryan said.

By law, former lawmakers cannot actively lobby Congress for one year, so Bryan will advise the association behind the scenes.

"He was a player in this the last time around, and we think he has done a good job in the past," association lobbyist in Washington Wayne Mehl said. "He is well respected and well known around here."

Nevada lawmakers are challenging an Internal Revenue Service tax increase on tips. IRS officials have said casino workers may be reporting less income than they actually receive in tips.