NEW CONGRESS: EMERSON TO GIVE CLINTON `FAIR SHOT'

For the first time since he won his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Bill Emerson will serve with a Democratic president.

He's not sure what to expect from the experience, but is willing to work with President Clinton when he thinks he is right. Most of all, Emerson said he plans to continue fighting for the interests of the 26 counties of Southeast Missouri that make up his 8th District.

"The jury is out," Emerson said of the incoming president. "I'm going to give President-elect Clinton a fair shot. I wish him well. I want to see what he proposes in a substantiative way. We have heard all the campaign rhetoric on both sides; now we'll see what he actually proposes.

"I think Bill Clinton wants to work with Republicans, and when I think he is right, he will have my cooperation."

Emerson said he is unsure whether a Democratic Congress and Democratic president will end the gridlock in the nation's capital, but the American people are looking for action in dealing with problems.

"There won't be fingerpointing to different ends of Pennsylvania Avenue now because the Democrats control both ends," said Emerson.

He said, however, that his method of ending gridlock would not be having a Democratic president and Democratic-controlled Congress. "My idea of ending gridlock is a conservative president and a conservative majority in Congress," said Emerson.

"Every new president deserves a fair opportunity to present his views and for Congress to review and debate them. From this congressman, Bill Clinton will have an opportunity to do that. I don't prejudge the man. I wish him well because I want good things to happen in the country. I hope to enter an era of good feeling and to work positively and constructively together."

Emerson, who was first elected in 1980 when Ronald Reagan ousted Jimmy Carter from the White House, anticipates being a Clinton ally in some areas and a staunch opponent in others.

Clinton has suggested he may propose a major public works program to help stimulate the economy early in his administration, something Emerson is anxious to hear more about.

"I would have to see his parameters, but infrastructure improvement is an area where I will have a high level of a cooperative attitude," Emerson said.

"I also am looking forward to working with him in the arena of welfare reform," Emerson said. Through his work on the select committee on hunger, the Cape Girardeau Republican has been involved in efforts to change welfare.

"Everybody agrees it has got to happen," said Emerson. "We now have a welfare maintenance system which is very costly. I think Clinton has some good ideas in the area of welfare reform."

Emerson sees his major clashes with Clinton over social issues and taxes. Emerson said he is pro-life and adamantly opposed to the Freedom of Choice Act, and also has serious reservations about normalizing the status of gays in the military, which Clinton supports.

Health care, a major issue of the 1992 campaign, will be a key focus of this session. "The health care debate has not truly yet jelled," said Emerson. "There are probably 40 different proposals on the table that have to be sifted through and see how they fit, one with the other. My general view is we don't want to create another bureaucracy because when we do that so many resources go into maintenance of the bureaucracy."

Emerson believes the framework of health care reform should be to have it accessible to everyone, with tax deductions up to a certain level to spend on health care so people can find a package that fits their needs the best. Those who do not pay enough taxes to qualify should be given tax credits, he said.

"The question is not whether people should have health care; it is how do we get it to them." Emerson said. "I think it will jell in this session ... we'll have the debate and sift through it all. We know there are a lot of needs out there and we want to be sure what we come up with is the right fit."

Emerson is optimistic there will be progress made toward reducing the deficit in this session. He has a high regard for Clinton's budget director, Leon Panetta, a congressman from California who has chaired the budget committee.

"Leon Panetta is an exceedingly competent individual," said Emerson, who worked closely with him on an agriculture subcommittee.

"I do know Leon Panetta is a very smart man, a person of enormous integrity. While we may disagree in some areas on substance, I don't think he is a person who will be gimmicky in his approach. One of my very serious criticisms of the Bush administration has been the service of Richard Darman as budget director; it has been an absolute disaster.

"He (Bush) should never have appointed him and should have fired him after the budget summit of 1990. He is in a big part responsible for the demise of George Bush."

Comparing Darman to Panetta, Emerson said Darman is more conservative but relies too much on gimmicks. "I start out with a higher level of confidence with Panetta, even though he is more liberal. He does not rely on gimmicks. With Panetta, I feel like we are being dealt with straight - not with smoke and mirrors."

Generally, Emerson has good things to say about Clinton's cabinet, especially Panetta, Treasury Secretary designate Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, and colleague Mike Espey to head the agriculture department.

But on the environmental front "it's a damn disaster," complained Emerson. He said he regards Carol Browner, who will be administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, as a poor choice. He also said he does not rate highly Bruce Babbitt, who will be secretary of the interior.

He termed Clinton's environmental choices as "strident preservationists."

Emerson said: "The economy of our district is very sensitive to natural resources with agriculture, timber and mining. I'm concerned the Babbitts and Browners of the world are going to want to shut down our economic apparatus. Our responsibility is to be good stewards and manage our resources to protect the environment."

Regarding Espey, who represents a district in Mississippi, Emerson said their districts are very similar. Emerson worked with Espey on the hunger committee and with the Delta caucus.

Emerson said the Delta Commission made some major recommendations that Espey will be able to play a lead role in implementing. The caucus was formed to push many of those recommendations through Congress.

"Mike will be able to play a significant role, and I would look forward on the legislative side to cooperating with him," said Emerson. "Our recommendations on agriculture, infrastructure and economic development have been accepted on a bipartisan basis."

When Emerson takes his congressional oath for the seventh time Tuesday, he will rank 34th of the 175 Republicans in the House and 106th out of the 435 members overall in seniority.

But with his stature in the House rising, and for the first time in his tenure a Democratic administration, Emerson does not see his role changing significantly in the 103rd Congress.

"I see my role to be what it has always been: to give faithful voice to the concerns, attitudes and ideas of people of Southeast Missouri," explained Emerson. "I did not always agree with the Republican presidents. I had differences with President Reagan, but a lot fewer with Reagan than Bush.

"My point has always been to faithfully represent the conservative common-sense values of people of south central and southern Missouri. On the social issues, Reagan and Bush were probably a lot more compatible with our way of thinking, and Clinton and I will probably be more at odds there. But on issues like infrastructure and welfare reform, I will have a lot of room to work with President Clinton."

Emerson predicted that Clinton will often have to turn to Republicans in Congress to get his programs passed because some of his ideas will draw opposition from liberals.

"I think we will see the putting together of a lot of coalitions to pass his agenda, and I think Republicans will be included out of necessity," said Emerson. "In some cases he will only be able to get a majority by including Republicans."

Emerson has been a longtime advocate of a balanced budget amendment and line-item veto for the president, which were tools Clinton had in Arkansas during 12 years as governor to balance budgets. Clinton has suggested some support for those measures, but getting them through Congress will require Republican help.

Emerson predicted that such proposals by the new president "will have overwhelming Republican support."

The congressman said he is taking a "wait-and-see" attitude of Clinton's plans for dealing with the deficit, his economic ideas and tax plans.

"I'm willing to work with anyone with good ideas and look at those ideas through the glasses of the 8th District and what is good for our district and for the good of our nation," said Emerson.