REP. ROBERT LIVINGSTON (R-LA)

• On November 15, 1991, Rep. Livingston purchased between 1,000 and 15,000 dollars worth of stock in Somatogen.

Somatogen is based in Bolder, CO and holds a proprietary recombinant hemoglobin technology to develop human blood substitute products. The company's primary product is rHb1.1, (a genetically engineered hemoglobin) that can be used to address clinical needs in the areas of erythropoiesis/anemia, treatment of ischemia, angioplasty and sickle cell anemia.

Eleven days later (November 26, 1991), President Bush signed 102 P.L. 170: LABOR, HHS, AND EDUCATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT.

One section in this appropriations bill would appear to affect Somatogen. The section is:

NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE. For carrying out sections 301 and 1105 and title IV of the Public Health Service Act with respect to cardiovascular, lung and blood diseases, and blood and blood products, $1,199,398,000: Provided, That of the funds made available under this heading, $54,555,000 shall not become available for obligation until September 30, 1992.

The House Bill was H.R. 3839, and came through Rep. Livingston's House Appropriations Committee.

VOTE NOTES: Rep. Livingston voted "AYE" on H.R. 3839.

NOTES: Rep. Livingston is the 1995 Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Rep. Livingston was born in Colorado Springs, CO.

• In 1993, Rep. Livingston actively traded mining stocks during the time that Congress aggressively considered, debated, and voted on H.R. 322: MINERAL EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACT...To modify the requirements applicable to locatable minerals on public domain lands, consistent with the priciples of self-initiation of mining claims (pending).

In 1993, while H.R. 322 was in-process, Rep. Livingston executed 14 separate stock transactions in the following mining companies:

Sunshine Mining: 1,000 - 15,000 dollars

Homestake Mining: 1,000 - 15,000 dollars

Freeport McMoran Resources: 1,000 - 15,000 dollars

Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold: 1,000 - 15,000 dollars

Royal Oak Mines: 15,000 - 50,000 dollars

Campbell Resources: 1,000 - 15,000 dollars

VOTE NOTES: On November 18, 1993, the House voted to pass H.R. 322; Rep. Livingston voted NAY on H.R. 322.

NOTES: On his 1993 Financial Disclosure Report, Rep. Livingston notes that his wife owns a mineral interest valued between 1,000 and 15,000 dollars.

On July 20, 1993, Rep. Livingston purchased between 1,000 and 15,000 dollars worth of stock in EZ Corp. He later sold this stock on August 26, 1993. EZ Corp. is based in Texas, and owns over 150 pawn shops.

One day before his purchase (on July 19, 1993), EZ Corp. fell 10 points on NASDAQ trading. Thus, Rep. Livingston bought in at a bargin price.

At the time of his purchase, two bills were before Congress that could affect EZ Corp. The first bill was H.R. 1448: CHECK CHASHING ACT OF 1993...To establish a limit on the fee which certain persons may charge for cashing checks and other instruments (Introduced March 24, 1993; Referred to House Banking; Not enacted during the 103rd Congress). This bill was introduced by a colleague of Rep. Livingston's -- Rep. Cleo Fields (D-LA). Field's bill would benefit the poor who often have to pay exceptionally high fees for cashing checks; the bill would set an upper cap on check cashing fees to 50 cents. Since many pawn shops offer check cashing services, this bill would hurt one of their revenue streams.

The second bill was H.R. 1025: BRADY HANDGUN VIOLENCE PROTECTION ACT. This bill was actively being considered by Congress throughout 1993. According to a January 5, 1994 article in USA Today, EZ Pawn (EZ Corp.) is the 7th largest gun dealer in the United States. It is reasonable to conclude that EZ Corp. would be opposed to passage of H.R. 1025.

VOTE NOTES: Rep. Livingston voted NAY on H.R. 1025, the Brady Bill.

NOTES: Rep. Livingston is a former criminal prosecutor.

• On August 2, 1993, Rep. Livingston purchased between 1,000 and 15,000 dollars worth of stock in Microsoft. He later sold this stock on August 13, 1993.

On August 17, 1993, Rep. Livingston purchased between 1,000 and 15,000 dollars worth of stock in Intel. He later sold this stock on August 26, 1993.

Three days afer his Microsoft purchase, a bill was introduced in the House that would interest both Microsoft and Intel. The bill was H.R. 2888: TELEVISION VIOLENCE REDUCTION THROUGH PARENTAL EMPOWERMENT ACT (Introduced on August 5, 1993; Referred to House Energy and Commerce; 41 Cosponsors). This bill would require all television sets sold in the U.S. to have computer chips that would allow parents to block violent programming.

According to an article in the Times Newspapers Limited (August 13, 1993), Microsoft and Intel have joined forces to provide the very technology required in H.R. 2888.

• On August 19, 1993, Rep. Livingston purchased between 1,000 and 15,000 dollars worth of stock in Philip Morris. He later sold this stock on August 26, 1933.

At the time of his purchase, Congress was actively debating H.R. 2493: the Agriculture Appropriations Bill. Specifically, the bill was in conference, and was eventually signed in law on October 25, 1993 (P.L. 103-111).

As a tobacco giant, Philip Morris would of course be interested in any agricultural appropriations bill.

VOTE NOTES: Rep. Livingston voted AYE on H.R. 2493.

NOTES: Rep. Livingston is the 1995 Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.