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Budget YES Medicare YES Defense YES Abortion YES Guns YES Gays NO Bosnia YES NAFTA YES Welfare YES Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "Major Owens is full of baloney if he says he never heard of me."
MAJOR OWENS (D) District 11
BORN: June 28, 1936, Memphis, Tenn. EDUCATION: Morehouse College, B.A., 1956; Atlanta U, M.L.S., 1957 FAMILY: Wife, Maria Cuprill-Owens; five children RELIGION: Baptist MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Librarian POLITICAL CAREER: New York Senate, 1975-82; U.S. House, 1982- ADDRESS: 1767 Union Street, Brooklyn 11213. Tel.: 718-467-4858
Seven-term incumbent Owens sides with those who believe the CIA conspired with Nicaraguan contras to sell crack in south-central Los Angeles--only one of the ways the African-American community has been victimized, says Owens, whose district has the highest population of blacks in the country. He has championed their plight strongly and eloquently, even rapping about it on the House floor. His district, where over 80% of registered voters are Democrats, has never given him less than 89% of the vote.
THE ISSUES Budget NO Medicare NO Defense YES Abortion NO Guns YES Gays NO Bosnia NO NAFTA NO Welfare NO Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: ["Major's Rap"] At the big white D.C. mansion There's a meeting of the mob And the question on the table Is which beggars will they rob?
MIGUEL PRADO (R) District 12 (Lower East Side of Manhattan; part of Brooklyn and Queens)
BORN: Dec. 18, 1951, Lima, Peru EDUCATION: Georgetown U, B.S.F.S., 1974 FAMILY: Wife, Barbara RELIGION: Roman Catholic MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Glassware-manufacturing executive POLITICAL CAREER: None ADDRESS: 70 Bayard Street, New York 10013. Tel.: 212-965-9042
Though Prado has never held public office, he claims strong political roots: both his grandfather and great-grandfather served as President of Peru. Criticizing opponent Nydia Velazquez for her opposition to a balanced-budget amendment and welfare reform, he offers a conservative platform with tougher laws and sentencing, a curfew for minors, more police officers on the streets and better rehabilitation and training for drug addicts. Like Bob Dole, Prado is antiabortion and supports a 15% tax cut.
THE ISSUES
Budget NR Medicare NR Defense NO Abortion YES Guns NO Gays YES Bosnia NR NAFTA YES Welfare YES Medical Leave NO (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "[T]he very dream that brought immigrants here, in search of opportunity and liberty, is being lost."
NYDIA VELAZQUEZ (D) District 12
BORN: March 22, 1953, Yabucoa, Puerto Rico EDUCATION: U of Puerto Rico, B.A., 1974; New York U, M.A., 1976 FAMILY: Divorced RELIGION: Roman Catholic MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Professor POLITICAL CAREER: New York city council, 1984; U.S. House 1992- ADDRESS: 271 Grand Street, Brooklyn 11211. Tel.: 718-384-2173