Steny H Hoyer

House Democratic leaders appear to have laid down an ultimatum to Appropriations Committee Chairman Jamie L. Whitten (D-Miss.), telling him to voluntarily step aside until he recovers from a prolonged illness or be forced aside at a meeting of the Democratic caucus next week. "We're entering the busiest period of the appropriations process . . . and the chairman has to be operating at peak efficiency," said Rep. Vic Fazio (D-West Sacramento), vice chairman of the caucus.

House Republicans pushed through legislation Thursday granting permanent tax relief to married couples, overriding Democratic complaints that they were draining Social Security trust funds to gain election-year advantage. The 271-142 vote sent the bill to the Senate, where Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) gave it a tepid reception. "We don't want to have a $42-billion annual tax increase that goes into effect Jan. 1, 2011, because people are married," said Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). But Rep.

President Reagan, borrowing themes from the Democratic campaign, boasted Saturday that his own Administration had brought competence and efficiency to government, and he told radio listeners that George Bush, not Michael S. Dukakis, was the candidate on the voters' side. Reagan often tweaks Democrats by noting his success at reducing inflation, interest rates and unemployment.

Democrats celebrated Stephanie Herseth's capture of a Republican-held House seat in South Dakota on Wednesday and claimed it portends greater gains in the battle for control of Congress. Republicans argued that local factors settled the race, but some conceded privately that a sour national mood and President Bush's slumping support contributed to the defeat of GOP contender Larry Diedrich.

An attempt to settle the ongoing dispute over last fall's election of Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) was thwarted Saturday when Republican leaders on Capitol Hill refused to even debate the matter. After two days in which individual Democrats and Republicans had been negotiating behind closed doors, the public rebuke by GOP leaders dimmed Democrats' hopes that the election challenge filed by defeated Republican Robert K. Dornan would be dismissed before Congress adjourns for the year.

Rep. William H. Gray III (D-Pa.), the highest ranking black member of Congress, announced Thursday that he will resign to head the United Negro College Fund. Gray, who is House majority whip, joined college fund officials at a news conference to confirm rumors that had been circulating in Washington. The congressman said he will complete the current House session, set to end Aug. 5, and begin his new job Sept. 3. Among senior Democrats already campaigning for Gray's leadership post are David E.

The House refused to trim the White House budget by the cost of last month's helicopter golf outing as Democrats staved off Republican attempts Wednesday to embarrass President Clinton. By a nearly party-line 236-195 vote, lawmakers rejected a GOP proposal to reduce next year's planned $270-million spending for the White House by $13,129.66.

In a raucous shoot-out before the House Appropriations Committee, two Massachusetts congressmen touting the Bay State-made Smith & Wesson on Thursday blew away the Army's $75-million handgun contract with the Italian Beretta company. Despite vigorous protests from the Pentagon, the panel voted 24 to 12 to order the Army to reopen the competition in which Beretta's 9-millimeter pistol was picked last year as the standard firearm for all U.S. armed services.

House Democrats are planning to choose a new No. 2 leader Oct. 10, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco is one of two contenders. If elected House minority whip--a post formerly held by such notables as Vice President Dick Cheney, Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.)--Pelosi would become the first woman to rise to Capitol Hill's top leadership ranks.

TODAY Good Morning America (N) 7 a.m. KABC McLaughlin Group 6:30 p.m. KCET SUNDAY CBS News Sunday Morning (N) 6 a.m. KCBS Good Morning America (N) 6 a.m. KABC State of the Union With Candy Crowley Healthcare summit; economy: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco). Healthcare summit; economy: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). 6 a.m. CNN Fareed Zakaria GPS George Soros, the Soros Foundation; Simon Schama, Columbia University; Lionel Barber, the Financial Times.