WASHINGTON IN BRIEF

House GOP Rejects Gore ProjectIt was political "Star Wars" in the House yesterday during adebate on a $42 billion NASA funding bill as Republicans prevailed instripping an Internet Earth-viewing project initiated by VicePresident Gore.

The bill passed 259 to 168, with most Democrats opposing it.Democrats said the elimination of $32 million to continue Gore'sTriana satellite project was an attempt to embarrass the party's 2000presidential front-runner. Republicans said the program wasunnecessary.White House aides said NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin mightrecommend a presidential veto of the bill, which would also fund thespace station and the space shuttle over the next three years, if theTriana money is not restored.Lawmakers Vote to Limit War PowersThe House Armed Services Committee voted to impose new spendingrestrictions on President Clinton's conduct of the military operationin Yugoslavia. Democrats denounced the action as the latest in aseries of conflicting signals from the Republican-led House, butRepublicans insisted they were just trying to reclaim congressionaldecision-making over war powers.The panel, working on a $288.8 billion defense spending bill forthe fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, endorsed a provision stating thatnone of the funds "may be used for the conduct of combat orpeacekeeping operations" in Yugoslavia. That would force Clinton tocome to Congress first to request funds in a separate piece oflegislation if he wants to continue the military campaign beyondSept. 30.Earlier, the panel voted to tighten restrictions on abortions atmilitary hospitals, prohibiting them when a pregnancy results fromthe statutory rape of a minor. Abortions at military hospitals areforbidden now except to save the life of a woman or in cases ofincest or rape. The committee voted 30 to 29 to modify thatrestriction to apply only to "forcible" rapes instead of all rapes.Probe of Rocket Failures OrderedPresident Clinton ordered an investigation into six U.S. rocketfailures in less than nine months. Losses have totaled $3.5 billion.Clinton instructed Defense Secretary William S. Cohen to work withGoldin and CIA Director George J. Tenet and to finish the report insix months.Private-Education Tax Break BackedParents could contribute as much as $2,000 a year to IRA-likeaccounts and withdraw the money tax-free for private school expensesunder legislation approved by the Senate Finance Committee.The bill, vetoed by President Clinton last year, cleared the panelafter majority Republicans shot down a Democratic attempt tosubstitute a version of Clinton's $25 billion school constructionproposal.