CRIME BILL MUGGED

In a major blow to President Clinton, the House deep-sixed the crime bill by shooting down a preliminary procedure in a 225-210 vote. The procedure, outlining the rules for debate, needed to pass the House before the crime bill could be introduced. Clinton said the defeat was "orchestrated by the National Rifle Association" and put the safety of Americans in jeopardy. The wide margin of loss shocked Washington insiders, says TIME Washington correspondent, Laurence I. Barrett. "It was expected to be two votes either way," says Barrett. So, the crime bill's dead, right? Not quite, says Barrett. "What will probably happen is that they will go back to a conference committee . . . make some changes and send it back" to the floor, he says. But when it does resurface, it's likely to be in a form dictated by conservatives, Barrett says. This means that many social programs will be axed and the ban on assault weapons may be weakened.