Mel Watt summarizes the 1997 Congress . ? I U.t Hap. AM Watt By MEL WATT Special lo Tut Chkosicle The 1997 session of Congress (the first year of the 105th Congress) convened Jan. 7 and was gaveled to a dose Nov. 13. Compared to the first year of the 104th Congress (which convened Jan. 4, 199S, and did hot end until Jan. 3,1996), the 1997 session was like a leisurely walk in the park. The House took a record-low 284 recorded votes in 1997, compared to 885 in 1995 (the average over the last 20 years was 584). While several things were accomplished in the 1997 session of Congress, the session mil probably be remembered most for the number of things left to be acted on later. Amidst all the smoke, mirrors, dust and rhetoric, here is my quick summary of things that passed, things that failed and things that wen left undone. Things that passed The Balanced Budget Deal: Every analysis I have seen lauds the balanced budget deal as the No. 1 achievement of this Congress. The notion that parti san and philosophical differences could be put aside to pass a bill which will both reduce taxes and increase domestic spending, yet still balance the fed eral budget in 2002, is clearly a major achievement. There are good things about the deal: it expands health coverage for children, it restores some benefits for legal immigrants which were taken away last year, and it provide* tax cut* ($300 par child tax credit, education tax credits and capital gains and estate tax cuts). But there are also some bad things about the deal: the tax cuts disproportionately benefit the wealthiest people, and despite the hype, the combina tion of tax cuts and increased spending delays bal ancing the budget until 2002, when the budget would have balanced in 1998 or 1999 without the deat 1 voted no. Appropriations; Congress approved the 13 appro priation bills that provide funding for all federal agencies and operations. Congress also passed emer gency supplemental appropriations to provide disas ter relief for flood victims and for peacekeeping S*WMT