REPUBLICANS TO THE RESCUE OF CRIME BILL

With a little help from its GOP members, the House is expected to pass a crime bill tomorrow. The $33 billion, six-year bill includes money for several anti-crime measures including hiring 100,000 police officers and setting up drug courts. President Clinton has been lobbying hard for the bill, but conservative, NRA-backed Democrats oppose it because it bans some assault weapons; liberals don't like it because it expands the application of the death penalty. It was rescued, however, by some Republicans (between 10 and 20 at last count) who are expected to cross Party lines and give it the nod.